X 



c^ 




il 



I 



1883. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap....;:! Copyright No 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/guyotgeographicaOOguyo 



THE GUYOT 

GEOGRAPHICAL READER 
AND PRIMER 

A SERIES OF JOURNEYS ROUND THE WORLD 
BY 

MAKY HOWE SMITH PRATT 



>XXc 



NEW YORK •:• CINCINNATI-:. CHICAGO 

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 






20619 



COPTEIGHT, 1882, BY 

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS. 



Copyright, 1898, by 
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. 



GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 
W. P. I 







PREFACE. 



Guyot's Introduction has been pronounced by compe- 
tent authorities to be the best of school reading books. 
This judgment has led the publishers to present this work 
in a form more attractive and available for class-room uses. 
The occasion has been improved to revise it thoroughly, and 
by changes, additions, and omissions to give it a complete- 
ness such as is indicated by its new name. 

The value of such a Eeader is obvious. The material 
presented is interesting and useful as matter of knowledge ; 
its familiar and colloquial style awakens interest in the 
subject, creates easy and natural tones of expression, and 
leaves a lasting impression on the mind. 

In order to complete its usefulness as a class book, the 
leading geographical facts are gathered up and presented in 
Part II. as a Primer of Lessons. This part is a brief out- 
line of geography for beginners ; noticing the location and 
commercial a?id political character of the countries, the 
nature of which, with much of their life, has been given in 
Part I. The form of these lessons, and their intimate con- 
nection with the readings, are such as to make mere repeti- 
tion of words without thoughts altogether impossible. 

The Guyot' Geographical Reader and Primer is be- 
lieved to embody, both in the choice of material for its 
grade and in the mode of treatment, the best results of 
thought and experience on the part of the most earnest 
and practical educators. 

iii 



CONTENTS. 



Part I. 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION 1 

NORTH AMERICA. 
United States. 

The Atlantic Plain 4 

The Appalachian Mountains 14 

The Central Plain 20 

The Mississippi 23 

The Hudson 37 

The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence .... 46 

Lake Champlain and Adirondacks .... 56 

New England .59 

Rocky Mountain Country 63 

The Table-land 66 

California 70 

In the Northwest 75 

Northern Lands ......... 78 

Southern Lands 82 

SOUTH AMERICA. 

Amazon and Silvas 89 

Andes ........... 97 

Plains or the Orinoco ........ 102 

Plains of the La Plata ....... 105 

ATLANTIC OCEAN 108 

EUROPE. 

British Isles 113 

Atlantic Coast Countries . . . . . . 122 

Southwestern Peninsulas ....... 135 

Central and Southeastern Europe . . . . 145 

Russia 158 

AFRICA 160 

ASIA ' . . . .167 

AUSTRALIA 180 

PACIFIC OCEAN 182 

CONCLUSION (Poem) 184 

iv 



CONTENTS. 



Part II. 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 187 

NORTH AMERICA. 
United States. 

General Lessons 207 

New England 215 

Middle States 220 

Southern States 224 

Central States . 230 

Pacific States 234 

Dominion of Canada . . . . . . . 240 

Mexico, Central America, and West Indies . . . 241 

SOUTH AMERICA. 

Countries of the Plains ....... 244 

Countries of the Andes ....... 246 

EXAMINATION ON WESTERN HEMISPHERE . . 248 

EUROPE. 

The Continent ......... 250 

British Isles 251 

France, Belgium, and the Netherlands . . . 254 

The North Countries ....... 255 

Mediterranean Countries (Sunny Lands) . . . 257 

Switzerland and Germany ...... 259 

Austria-Hungary ........ 261 

Russia and Roumania 264 

AFRICA. 

Northern Africa ........ 268 

Middle and Southern Africa . . . . . . 269 

ASIA. 

Northern and Western Asia . . .... 272 

The Indies 273 

Chinese and Japanese Empires ..... 275 

AUSTRALIA 278 

EXAMINATION ON EASTERN HEMISPHERE . . .280 

TABLES FOR REFERENCE 281 



LIST OF MAPS. 



PAGES 

1. HEMISPHERES (double page) 194, 195 

2. UNITED STATES (double page) . . . . 212, 213 

3. NEW ENGLAND STATES 219 

4. MIDDLE STATES . ... . . . .225 

5. SOUTHERN STATES . . . . . . .229 

6. CENTRAL STATES 235 

7. PACIFIC STATES . . . . 239 

8. NORTH AMERICA .243 

9. SOUTH AMERICA . .249 

10. BRITISH ISLES . .253 

11. CENTRAL EUROPE . . . . . . .263 

12. EUROPE . . . .267 

13. AFRICA 271 

14. ASIA .277 

vi 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



WHAT WE LEARN IN GEOGRAPHY. 
ge-og'-ra-phy. | de-scrip'-tion. | in'-ter-est-ing. 

1. When we want to learn all about a thing, so as 
to be sure of making no mistake, we like to see and 
examine it for ourselves. We are not content to know 
only what others can tell us, for we feel that our eyes 
are our surest teachers. 

2. That is the best way to learn many things about 
the Earth; for we live upon it, and it is all around us, 
and before our eyes at all times. But the earth is so 
great, and most people travel so little, that they can 
see for themselves only a very small part of it, even 
if they use their eyes busily wherever they go. 

3. There are a thousand things that every one wants 
to know about his country, and about other parts of 
the world, which he must learn by reading books. But 
these books tell us only what is on the outside, or sur- 
face, of the earth; for that is all that interests most 
people. A book which tells about the surface of the 
earth, and the people and countries upon it, is called a 
Geography ; for geography means a description of the 
earth. 

4. When we look around us, we see that the earth 
has two kinds of surface. One is firm and solid ; and 

1 



2 . GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 

we call it ground, or land. We walk or ride over it ; 
we build our houses upon it ; we see trees and grass 
growing out of it ; we sow seeds in it, and soon it is 
covered with young, growing plants. 

5. There is another part, which is not solid, but is 
always moving and flowing, and being stirred by the 
wind. This is water. People do not often build, upon 




Land and Sea. 



the water, houses to live in ; but there is a sort of build- 
ing made on purpose to move about on it, and to carry 
persons from place to place where they may wish to go. 
These moving houses are boats and ships. People 
found out how to build them, and to make the water 
useful in this way, almost as soon as they learned to 
build houses on the land. 



WHAT WE LEARN IN GEOGRAPHY. 3 

6. We see more land than water, and it would not be 
at all strange if we should think there was more of it 
on the earth. But geography teaches us that there is 
much more water than land. Nearly three fourths of 
the earth's surface is water, and only about one fourth 
is land. This is one of the things which we could not 
see for ourselves if we should travel over all parts of 
the earth, and use our eyes carefully everywhere. 

7. There are other things about the earth, which wise 
men found out only through many years of hard study. 
These, too, we must learn from books. One of these is 
the shape of the earth. People used, ages ago, to have 
queer ideas about this. They thought that the earth 
was flat, like a great plate ; that it was held up in some 
wonderful way, and that the sun and the stars all trav- 
eled around it. 

8. Now, the books teach us that the earth is a great 
ball ; that it keeps all the time whirling round and 
round ; and that, at the same time, it rolls on in a 
great journey about the sun, year after year, never 
stopping even for a single moment. 

9. The geographies teach us, too, about interesting 
countries in far-off parts of the world ; about strange 
people, who look very unlike us ; and about strong and 
fierce animals and curious plants, which we have never 
seen, and which could not live in a country like ours. 

10. Thus children who would become wise must learn 
how to study books, as well as how to use their own 
eyes at all times, and to think about what they see. 
But, if we learn about the earth only what the eyes of 
travelers can teach them, we shall know a great deal 
of geography, — more than most people know. 



NORTH AMERICA. 

I. — IN THE LEVEL COUNTRY. 

jour'-ney [jer'-ny], | car'-riage [car'-rij]. | veg'-e-ta-bles [vej'-] . 

1. Now for the geography which our eyes can teach 
us. To get this, we will begin by making a long jour- 
ney in a carriage, using our eyes busily all the time as 
we go along. 

2. At first, for many hours, we drive through a fine 
country, with pretty white farmhouses, orchards, and 
fields of grain ; Avith broad green meadows where the 
haymakers are busy, and pastures where are flocks of 
sheep, and herds of cows and horses, feeding on the 
fresh sweet grass. 

3. Little brooks ripple over the pebbles by the road- 
side, or wind, like silver threads, through the green 
grass of the pastures and meadows. Here and there 
are immense gardens, in which are raised great quanti- 
ties of strawberries, melons, peaches, and other deli- 
cious fruits, and all sorts of vegetables for the table. 

4. Now we drive through the pleasant, shady woods, 
where merry birds are singing, and many pretty flow- 
ers are blooming beneath the trees. We see squirrels 
hopping from branch to branch, or running as fast as 
their nimble feet can carry them, upon the fence by the 

4 



IN THE LEVEL COUNTRY. 



roadside, and soon dodging out of sight into some heap 
of stones or brush. 

By and by we come to a little village with its 



5. 



church and schoolhouse, and its stores, where the farmers 
come to sell their eggs and butter, and buy their sugar 
and tea, and the other things which they need. 




In a Village. 

6. There is not much to be seen, only the mill pond, 
which has been made by building a dam across one of 
the brooks we have passed, and the mill beside it, to 
which the farmers bring their grain. A little way off, 
are the blacksmith's shop and the post office, where three 
or four farmers are standing, talking over the news 
while waiting for their grain to be ground, or for their 
horses to be shod by the blacksmith. 



6 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER, 

7. Toward night we see the land before us rising 
higher and higher, so that if one above should loosen 
a stone, it would roll all the way down to us. Our 
horses begin to go slowly, for it is hard drawing the 
carriage up this road. Do you know what it is to 
which we have come ? Of course you do. It is a 
hill, and we call it so because it is higher than the rest 
of the land. We first come to the foot of the hill ; 
then we go up the slope, and finally we are at the top, 
and we shall soon begin to go down the other side. 



II. -UPON THE HILLTOP. 

ho-ri'-zon. At-lan'-tic. o'-cean [shun] . 

pal-met'-to, A-mer'-i-ca. Pa-cif'-ic. 

1. Let us try what we can see from this hilltop. First 
look behind. There is the country through which we 
have been driving all the morning. There are many 
farms and farmhouses ; many little villages scattered 
here and there, roads leading from one place to another 
in all directions, and railroads crossing the country in 
long, straight lines. There are also scattering groves 
that look very fresh and pleasant among the gardens 
and yellow grainfields, and brooks that shine in the 
sunlight like silver. 

2. We can now see much more of the country than 
was in sight along the way as we were riding ; because 
it is below us, and we can look down upon the whole 
of it at once. Compared with these hills, it seems quite 
flat and level ; but there are many swells and hollows 



UPON THE HILLTOP. i 

all over it. Do you know what to call a broad, low 
land like this? It is a plain. 

3. You notice that the earth, at a distance from us as 
far as we can see, seems to be just against the sky. Do 
you suppose the sky comes down there and touches the 
earth? No, it only seems to do so. Look all around, 
and you will see that on every side it is the same. We 




The Plain and Hills. 



seem to be in the middle of a circle, with the sky 
touching the ground on all sides of us ; just like a fly 
on a plate with a bowl turned over it. 

4. You must remember that this only seems so. If 
you should go where the sky now appears to touch the 
earth, you would find it to be just as high, and just as 
far off, as ever. Some time, when you are older, you 
will understand why this is so ; now you can only re- 



8 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

member it. Try to remember, also, that the line where 
the earth and sky seem to meet, is called the horizon. 

5. That part of the horizon where you see the sun 
rise, is called east. Where it sets, is west. The sun at 
noon is in the south, and high in the sky. Now, if you 
stand with your right hand toward the east and your 
left toward the west, you will face the north, and the 
south will be behind you. If you remember these 
points, you will always be able to know in what direc- 
tion you are traveling, and can describe your journey 
so that other persons, who may wish to do so, can follow 
your route. 

6. We came from the east. We are going toward the 
west. That plain which you see, stretches far away to 
the east, much beyond the place at which we started. 
We are now near the western border of it. Away on 
the eastern border, is an immense body of water. It is 
called the Atlantic Ocean, and this plain is called the 
Atlayitic Plain because it borders upon the Atlantic 
Ocean. The part of the plain over which we have 
traveled is named New Jersey. It is only a very small 
part of the Atlantic Plain. 

7. This great plain extends hundreds of miles to the 
north and the south, and is everywhere somewhat level ; 
but it has not, in all parts, the same kinds of trees and 
animals, nor the same pretty farmhouses, villages, and 
smooth roads. 

8. In some places, far away to the south, you will 
find, for miles and miles, nothing but tall, dark pine 
trees. There are no farms, no villages, but only the 
little cabins in which the people live who gather the 
turpentine from the pine trees. 



IN THE LOW PLAIN. 9 

9. In other places, still farther south, there are, for 
many miles, only great swamps. In these swamps are 
tall trees, with long moss trailing from the branches; 
and many kinds of flowers, growing in the water, like 
the white water lily. 




A Rice Field. 

10. Iii the parts which are not swampy, oranges and 
lemons grow ; and the palmetto, which is very different 
from any of the trees in the north. It is a kind of 
palm tree, and can grow only in warm countries. In 
the lowlands, near the sea, you will find large fields of 
rice. When seen growing, it looks much like a field 
of wheat or tall grass. 



10 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 

11. Far to the south, there is no winter. Instead of 
skating and sleigh rides on Christmas and New Year's, 
people are working in their fields and gardens; and a 
few days later the ground is green with growing plants, 
and the roses and other flowers are in bloom. How 
would you like to live in such a place ? 

12. This great, rich, and beautiful plain is only one 
small portion of our country. Do you know what the 
name of our whole great country is ? It is the United 
States of America. It reaches north and south as 
many as fifteen hundred miles, through the very best 
part of a great land, called North America; and it 
stretches east and west twenty-five hundred miles, from 
the borders of the Atlantic Ocean to another great 
ocean, called the Pacific. 



III. -AMONG THE HILLS AND VALLEYS. 

Tren'-ton. Del'-a-ware. Phil-a-del'-phi-a. 

Fair'-mount. In-de-pend'-ence. Schuyl'-kill [Skool'-]. 

1. We have spent a long time on the hilltop, looking 
back toward the east, and studying the plain. Now 
we must go on with our journey. But the country 
through which we now pass is quite unlike that which 
we left behind us. It is not so pleasant to be going up 
and down, up and down, for hours together. But that 
is what we must do here; for there are many ridges to 
be crossed, and, almost as soon as we are over one, we 
find another to be climbed. 

2. As we go down the long slope of this first ridge, 
do you notice the green belt of land at the bottom, 
before the slope begins to rise to the next ridge? 



AMONG THE HILLS AND VALLEYS. 



11 



How pretty it is ! And there, in the lowest part, is a 
lovely stream of water. These belts of lower land, 
between the higher grounds, are called valleys. If Ave 
were going along the valley, we could follow it for a 
long distance, by the side of its beautiful stream. 
Sometimes the hills on each side would be nearer, 
sometimes farther apart; and everywhere we should 
see farms and villages, just as we saw them in the 




The City of Trenton. 

plain farther east, for the valley is just like the plain, 
except that it is narrower. 

3. We cross ridge after ridge, and valley after valley. 
Finally we descend a long, gentle slope ; and there, 
spread out under our eyes, is a valley, wider and more 
lovely, and a stream greater, than any of those we have 
passed. This stream is named the Delaware River ; for 
large streams are called rivers, and not brooks. 

4. Here is a fine village on the river bank; and at 
this place we will take the railroad, and follow the 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. — 2 



12 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. ' 

valley toward the sea. We see, on the banks of the 
stream, several large and busy villages, and some still 
larger and busier places, called cities. 

5. As the river goes on, it grows larger and larger; 
for. brooks and smaller rivers, one after another, flow 
into it. Thus larger and larger vessels can sail on it, 
and more and more kinds of business can be done in 
the places on its banks. So we do not wonder at all 
when we come to cities that are bigger and more full 
of business than any which we have before seen. 

6. Here is a city named Trenton. It is built just 
where the Delaware has become deep and wide enough 
for ships and steamboats to move about in its waters. 
We now change to another railroad. This carries us 
across the river, and on, southwestward, to a much 
greater city, built beside the Delaware, nearer the sea. 
This is Philadelphia, one of the largest cities in our 
country. It is in the State of Pennsylvania. 

7. Here we see mile after mile of streets paved with 
blocks of stone to keep them firm and smooth. On 
each side of the streets, are walks which are thronged 
with people hurrying to and fro. In some of the 
streets, are lines of railroad. On the rails, are street 
cars filled with people who have too far to go, or are 
too much in haste, to walk. 

8. Beside the streets, are long rows of tall houses, 
standing so close together that they touch one another, 
and look like only one great building. There is no 
room for flower gardens around the houses, such as we 
see in villages. The houses, too, are so much alike, 
that, if it were not for the number placed on each, a per- 
son might easily mistake some other house for his own. 



AMONG THE HILLS AND VALLEYS. 



13 



9. On other streets there are rows of great stores, 
where thousands of people are busy all day, buying and 
selling all sorts of goods ; and mills and factories, where 
other thousands are making nearly every kind of thing 
you could name. Railroads come to the city from al- 
most every direction ; and there are different stations, 
where the trains stop. At all these, are crowds of men 




Broad Street Station, Philadelphia. 

moving cars, or handling goods which are to be carried 
away on the railroads, or storing those which the cars 
have brought. At the wharves along the river, are 
other men working about the vessels which have come 
in, or are going out, laden with goods. Here, too, are 
hundreds of churches and schoolhouses, hotels and mar- 
kets, and other buildings for the use of the people. 
What a wonderful place a great city is ! 



14 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 

10. But, where many people live in one place, there 
are always some bad and troublesome persons, who 
must be kept from doing harm. So the city has police- 
men to look after them. Besides these, there are the 
mayor and aldermen, and many other officers, whose 
duty it is to attend to the public business. All these 
officers together make up what is called the government 
of the city. Philadelphia was founded and named by 
William Penn, in 1682, as the capital of Pennsylvania. 
Thus it is one of the oldest cities in the United States, 
as well as one of the largest. 

11. There are many other things in Philadelphia which 
you would like to see and learn about, if there were 
time. There is the beautiful Fairmount Park, and there 
is an old building called " Independence Hall," in each 
of which something very interesting and important was 
done. Then there was a famous printer Avho lived here 
more than a hundred years ago. See what you can learn 
about these places, and about the famous old printer. 

12. The Schuylkill, a small river which joins the Dela- 
ware, flows through Philadelphia. A number of fine 
bridges cross it, uniting the parts of the city which it 
separates. The Chestnut Street bridge is one of them. 



IV. -AMONG THE MOUNTAINS AND MINES. 

gor'-ges. I Sus-que-han'-na. I Har'-ris-burg. 

Penn-syl-va'-ni-a. I Ap-pa-la'-chi-an. I ma-chine' [sheen']. 

1. Now that we are ready to leave Philadelphia, we 
can take another train of cars, which will carry us 
westward as fast as we wish to go. 



AMONG THE MOUNTAINS AND MINES. 15 

2. At first the road leads through a most beautiful 
country ; and the pretty houses, and bright flowers, and 
smooth green fields, and lovely groves, seem like some 
pleasant park, rather than like the borders of a great 
city. By and by we find our way lying through rough 
hills. The road winds among them, finding break after 
break in the ridges, through which we cross from one 
valley to another. 

3. At length we enter a broad valley, on each side of 
which is a great wall of very high land. Along the tops 
of these walls are notches, so that some parts are much 
lower than others ; but even the lowest parts are much 
higher than any hill which we have yet seen. What 
can be the name of such land as this? You have heard 
of mountains, perhaps. Each of these great solid walls 
of high land is a mountain range. The higher parts are 
called mountains, or peaks ; the lower, passes, that is, 
crossing places. 

4. The mountains are much steeper, as well as higher, 
than the hills. They are also covered with great for- 
ests. Wherever we look, we see only trees, from the 
bottom to the top. What can be the reason the moun- 
tains are covered with forests, while on the plain and 
hills, and in the valleys, there is only here and there a 
little grove ? There were once forests all over those 
regions, as well as upon the mountains ; but they have 
been cut down to make room for the farms that now 
cover the land. We shall try, by and by, to learn why 
the forests have been left upon the mountains. 

5. After a time we find a fine river, named the Sus- 
quehanna, flowing directly across the valley. It makes 
its way to the sea through breaks in the mountain 



16 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



ranges, such as we saw in the hills from the cars. 
These are often just wide enough for the river to pass, 
and some are very grand. Such breaks are usually 
called gorges, but in these mountains they are also 
called water gaps. 

6. On the Susquehanna, is the city of Harrisburg. If 




On the Juniata Branch of the Susquehanna River. 

we go about, to learn what the people are doing, we 
shall find, in all parts of it, great furnaces, where hun- 
dreds of men are at work, melting something that looks 
like black stone. Should you lift it, you would find it 
much heavier than stone. It is called iron ore, and is 
very abundant in the mountains and hills which we saw 
on our way here. 



AMONG THE MOUNTAINS AND MINES. 17 

7. Iron is obtained from the ore by melting it in a 
furnace heated by coke. This coke is made from coal, 
which also abounds in the mountains of Pennsylvania. 
It is of great advantage to Harrisburg to be near the 
coal and iron mines, for on that account many people 
come here to live. The city contains large iron works, 
in which hundreds of men are constantly employed. 

8. We now leave Harrisburg, and continue our way 
westward, across the valley. We soon reach the moun- 
tains, and can see how they are composed. They are 
not of soft earth, like the plain and the valley; nor of 
earth and rock mingled, like the hills: but they are 
made up of huge masses of rock piled together with 
only a very imperfect covering of soil upon them. 

9. We called the mountain range a wall when we saw 
it at a distance. You see it is a solid stone wall. The 
rocks do not all look alike. Some are one great shape- 
less mass; and some are made up of layers, like very 
thick slates joined together. In some of these masses 
the layers are mostly level, like a floor; in others they 
are inclined, as if leaning one on another; and in still 
others they stand nearly erect, like the walls of a 
house. 

10. What could have lifted them, and tossed them 
about in this way ? You would not now understand if 
one should tell you. But you must try to remember 
how these rocks appear, and when you are older you 
will learn how they came to look as they now do. We 
wondered why the forests were left growing upon the 
mountains. It is because the mountains are so very 
rough and rocky that we could not well have farms and 
gardens upon them. 



18 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

11. Now we have crossed the mountain range, and 
have entered another narrow valley, beyond which is 
another range, with its rounded peaks covered with 
forests. This, too, we cross; and, as we go on west- 
ward, we find other valleys and other ranges of the 
same kind, side by side, like great folds or wrinkles in 
the surface of the earth. 

12. Now we reach the highest range of all. This we 
cannot cross through any gorge or valley ; but we must 
climb the slope, and go over it. The road winds about, 
back and forth, up and up; and, when we are near the 
top, our train dashes into a tunnel cut through the solid 
rock, and comes out at the other end, ready to descend 
the long westward slope. 

13. These ranges extend far to the south, and also to 
the north, almost to the borders of our country. If Ave 
should travel throughout their entire length we should 
find them everywhere very much alike, with their 
rounded summits and their covering of forests, and with 
long, narrow, and rich valleys between them. All of 
these ranges together are called a mountain system. 
This is the Appalachian mountain system. We shall 
find other mountains, very different from these. 

14. Since Ave left Trenton, Ave have been in Pennsyl- 
vania. The mountains and hills of Pennsylvania con- 
tain immense beds of coal. They lie in separate, and 
sometimes very thick, sheets, with layers of rock above 
and between them. In some places they are deep in the 
earth; but in others they reach the surface, and their 
black edges can be seen betAveen the beds of rock, in the 
mountain side or river banks. Places in which coal is 
taken out from under the ground are called coal mines. 



AMONG THE MOUNTAINS AND MINES. 



19 



15. When coal is found near the surface, it may very 
easily be taken out from between the layers of rock; 
but, when it lies deep, a hole, like a well, is dug down 
to it. This entrance is called a shaft. Now a machine 
for drawing up the coal is placed at the top of the shaft, 
and then the mine is ready for the workmen. They 
break the coal from the beds in large masses, which 
are drawn up the shaft, and afterwards crushed by 
machinery. 

16. Beyond the last range of mountains, is the large 
city of Pittsburg. It is built where two small rivers 
unite, and form a greater one, named the Ohio. Pitts- 
burg contains many great mills and forges, for working 
iron. The sound of the heavy machinery is never 
stilled, and night and day the busy hum of industry 
constantly fills the air. 

17. Before we reach Pittsburg, we notice 
mountains gradually become lower and lower, 
it the country is made up of low ridges of hills, and 
wide, green valleys. It is very beautiful, with its pleas- 
ant groves and bright streams, among which are grain- 
fields and meadows, and pastures covered with horses, 
cattle, and sheep. In the country north of Pittsburg, 
are singular wells, from which mineral oil is pumped 
instead of water. Kerosene is made from this oil. 



that the 
Beyond 




20 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 



V.- IN THE ROLLING PLAINS. 

de-li'-cious. un'-du-la-ting. Cin-cin-na'-ti. 

trans-por-ta'-tion. to-bac'-co. [Sin-sin-nah'-ti.] 

1. The State lying next west of Pennsylvania is 
Ohio. It is a part of a great plain which lies on the 
west side of the Appalachian Mountains, but is very 
different from the Atlantic Plain. It is made up of 
low, rounded hills, not much higher than the rest of 
the land, with long, gentle slopes, and wide valleys 
between them. A surface of this kind, is called a roll- 
ing, or undulating plain. 

2. This plain reaches westward for hundreds of miles, 
all through the middle part of the United States, stretch- 
ing as far as the Rocky Mountains. For this reason, it 
has been named the Great Central Plain. But the 
different parts of it are very unlike. Most of the coun- 
try is a rolling surface, like Ohio; but many parts are 
as level as the flattest portions of the Atlantic Plain. 

3. These flat lands lie along the borders of rivers and 
great lakes, and were formed in some way by them, as 
the flat lands of the Atlantic Plain were made by the 
rivers and the ocean working together. When you 
are older, you can learn just how this was done; but 
now you could not understand it if you were told. 
Perhaps you can find out where some other flat plains 
lie, on the border of a distant ocean, where people find 
in the ground some very interesting things. Learn all 
you can about them. 

4. As the country is unlike in different parts of the 



IN THE ROLLING PLAINS. 



21 



Central Plain, so the kinds of work done, and the 
things which yon will see growing, are very unlike. 
In some parts of it, are immense fields of wheat and 
corn, stretching, on every side, as far as the eye can 
reach. In other places, are pastures, where great herds 
of horses, sheep, cattle, and hogs, are feeding ; and in 




- 



5 Tirn 




_» 




A Country View in Ohio. 



still another part, the hillsides and valleys are planted 
with grapevines, from which the most delicious, juicy 
grapes are gathered. In some places they are produced 
in such quantities that they are carefully packed in 
small baskets and boxes, and shipped for use to differ- 
ent parts of the country where they are less abundant. 
5. On the southern border of Ohio, in the midst of 
the rich and beautiful Ohio valley, is the great city of 



22 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

Cincinnati. It is built beside the Ohio River, and is 
one of the busiest cities of the United States, being 
the center of a large trade for all the surrounding 
regions. Quantities of wool are marketed here, to- 
gether with grain, meat, and other food supplies ; and 
there is also a great amount and variety of manu- 
facturing. Nearly all the year, boats are bringing coal 



:/ 




The Ohio River at Cincinnati. 

from Pittsburg and bearing goods to and from the 
city. 

6. All over the greater part of this plain, as well as 
on the Atlantic Plain, are large villages and cities, 
with multitudes of busy people. Some are working in 
mines, some are making all sorts of useful or beautiful 
articles, and some are buying and selling goods. All 
are very active at one thing or another. 



ABOUT THE SPBINGS AND BROOKS. 23 

7. But one of the greatest, the busiest, and most beau- 
tiful of the cities in Ohio, is Cleveland, on its northern 
border. It is situated on one of the finest harbors on 
the Great Lakes. Its leading branches of business are 
shipbuilding for the lake trade, and the manufacture of 
iron and steel from the rich ores brought from the 
Lake Superior iron mines. 



VI. -ABOUT THE SPRINGS AND BROOKS. 

Mis-sis-sip'-pi. | I-tas'-ca. | is'-land [l'-land]. 

1. The surface of the Great Central Plain is every- 
where cut by green valleys, with clear, bright streams 
flowing through them, just as in the valleys among the 
mountains. Let us talk a little about these streams. 
We would like to learn whence they come, and whither 
they are going. 

2. Do you remember ever seeing, on the sides of 
hills or mountains, places where the water comes from 
among the rocks, in little streams, cool and clear ? We 
call them springs, you know. There are very many 
of them in all the hills and mountains that we have 
passed ; and from every one, flows a little brook of 
clear, cool water. These brooks that flow through the 
little valleys, by and by flow together into one greater 
valley ; and thus they form the rivers. 

3. The Ohio River, on which Cincinnati is built, is 
formed by many smaller rivers, which are made by 
little brooks flowing from the springs in the Appa- 
lachian Mountains. But the hills and mountains are 



24 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

earth and rock, not water. Where, then, can the water 
of the springs come from ? Perhaps we shall learn that 
by and by. See if yon can find it ont. 

4. Away in a forest of pine woods, almost on the 
northern border of our country, are a great number of 
springs. The hills from which these springs issue, are 
not high, steep, and rocky, like those near the Appala- 
chian Mountains ; but they are low and rounded, and 
made of sand and clay. Little streams flow from the 
springs in these hills, into a hollow, where they make 
a very small pond, 

5. This pond is the place where the great Missis- 
sippi River begins its journey to the ocean. From it 
flows a little brook, so small, one could easily leap 
across it. You would hardly believe that this tiny 
stream would become, on its way to the ocean, a great 
river, large enough to carry heavy steamboats for 
thousands of miles. 

6. Now, it cannot bear even a little boat, as it dances 
along over its gravelly bed, under the shadow of the 
pine woods. The banks on each side of the stream are 
covered with a soft carpet of bright green moss ; and 
pretty wild flowers bend over the water. Many fallen 
trees lie across the brook ; and low shrubs and bushes 
hang over it, so that, in some places, it is almost hidden 
by them. 

7. After this brook has flowed a distance of six miles, 
it finds another small, basin-shaped hollow, into which 
it enters. Four other little streams flow into the same 
basin ; and their waters spread out and fill it, forming 
a beautiful lake. This is Itasca Lake. It is usually 
called the source, or beginning, of the Mississippi ; but 



ABOUT THE SPRINGS AND BROOKS. 



25 



the real source is the tiny pond that is formed by the 
springs among the pines. 

8. Some parts of the shore are low, almost even with 
the water ; but in other places hills rise from the edge 
of the lake. The low shore is covered with bushes, 
grass, and flowers, 
and the hills, with 
tall pine' trees. In 
the middle of the 
lake, is a small 
piece of land, also 
covered with "tall 
trees. That is an 
island. You have 
perhaps seen is- 
lands in little 
streams in the 
woods and mead- 
ows. 

9. If we were to 
come here in win- 
ter, we should find 
this place looking 
very different. The 
pretty lake, and all the streams flowing into it, would 
be covered with thick ice. The grass and low bushes 
would be buried out of sight, the flowers dead, and the 
pine trees wrapped in hoods and mantles of snow. 
Thus they sleep all through the long winter, until the 
return of spring awakens them to new life. 




Itasca Lake. 



26 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



VII. -ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI. 

ca-noe' [-noo']. trib'-u-ta-ries. St. An'-tho-ny. 

prec'-i-pice [pres'-]. Min-ne-ap'-o-lis. [Saint An'-to-ni.] 

1. In order to learn something more about brooks 
and rivers, let us take a journey down the upper Mis- 
sissippi, starting from Itasca Lake. But what shall we 
travel in? The river at first is not big enough to carry 
even the smallest kind of a steamboat or sailing vessel ; 
so we must get a little boat called a canoe, which is 
moved by paddles. We shall easily find somebody to 
paddle us down the river. 

2. Mile after mile we glide along, through the dark 
forest with its bright, sunny openings. We pass the 
mouth of many a smaller brook which pours its clear 
waters into the Mississippi, and so it grows larger and 
larger as we go on. These streams, which bring their 
waters to it, are called tributaries of the river. 

3. We have now come to a place where great rocks 
lie in the middle of the stream, and the water foams 
and dashes through the narrow passages between them, 
so that we expect every moment to be driven against 
them, and have our boat broken to pieces. The cur- 
rent is so swift, that, in some places, the men cannot 
keep the boat off from the rocks with the paddles, but 
must wade in the stream to guide it through the narrow 
channels. 

4. The bottom, or bed, of the river is very sloping ; 
and that is the reason the water moves over it so rapidly, 
just as your sled goes more swiftly down a steep hill 



ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI. 27 

than on a more gentle slope. The boatmen call this 
place the Rapids. Can you think why it is called so ? 

5. By and by \ye have passed the Rapids, and the river 
is broad and gentle ; and, here and there, it spreads out 
into beautiful lakes, with green islands in them. Their 
shores of white sand glisten like snow in the sunshine ; 
and trees of elm and maple, with bright green leaves 
and slender branches waving in the wind, make pretty 
groves upon their borders. 

6. After we have gone on for many, many miles, we 
reach a place where the river is quite narrow, and the 
banks are somewhat steep. The boatmen tell us we 
must walk for a short distance ; and, after we have 
left the canoe, they draw it up to the bank, and take it 
on their heads to carry it. I wonder what that is for. 
Perhaps, on our walk, we shall learn the reason of it. 

7. We climb up the bank, and rind a nice path 
through the forest. Do you hear that great roaring 
noise coming from the river ? Let us go closer, and see 
if we can find what makes it. The banks here are very 
steep ; and we must cling to the branches of the trees, 
or we may fall over. 

8. Now look back, up the river. There is a place 
where the river's bed drops down suddenly, becoming 
much lower than before ; and you see the waters come 
leaping and dashing down this long step, making a great 
foam and noise, just as you have seen them sometimes 
leap over a milldam. 

9. This is called a waterfall or cataract ; and the steep 
descent in the bed of the river is a precipice. You 
may have seen little falls in the brooks, among the 
meadows and woods ; they are called cascades. Now 

GEOG. READ. & PKIM. — 3 



28 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



can you tell me why we have been obliged to walk ? and 
why the boatmen took their boat out of the water, and 
carried it, instead of letting, it carry them and us ? The 
boat could not have come down the falls without being 
dashed to pieces, and we might all have been drowned. 




10. As we go on from this place, we find many rapids 
and falls hindering our wa} r ; and we pass among lovely 
islands in the bed of the stream, which has now deep- 
ened, and spread out into a large river. The country 
through which it flows is no longer covered with for- 
ests; but farms, villages, and cities take their place, 
just as on the rivers in the Atlantic Plain. 

11. By and by, after many and many a day, we find 



FROM ST. PAUL TO ST. LOUIS. 29 

a busy, bustling city occupying both sides of the river, 
across which a number of bridges have been built. 
These are broad and strong, and make a way for 
railroads and street cars, as well as for people and 
carriages, to cross the stream, and great numbers of 
people pass continually. 

12. This is the city of Minneapolis ; and here are the 
Falls of St. Anthony, the last which the river makes in 
its course toward the sea. The people who first came 
here saw what a fine place this would be to build mills ; 
for the water could be made to turn a vast number of 
mill wheels. And now the banks are crowded with 
mills, and the falls are hidden by timbers, so that one 
can hardly see any of the original view. Here our 
first river trip must end, — hundreds of miles from its 
beginning. 

13. Only ten miles farther down the river, is another 
great city named St. Paul, to which we Avill go in a 
carriage. From St. Paul, the whole voyage to the 
sea can be made by steamboat. 



VIII. -FROM ST. PAUL TO ST. LOUIS, 
prai'-rie. | dan' ger-ous. | Mis-sou'-ri [soo'-]. 

l. From the little lake which makes the cradle of 
the Mississippi, all the way to Minneapolis, groves of 
trees are everywhere in sight ; and, once, nearly that 
whole country was covered with forests. Southward 
from this place, even before the white men came to cut 
down the trees, there were great treeless spaces, cov- 
ered with rich grass and bright flowers. 



30 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

2. When the first white man saw these grassy plains 
along the Mississippi, he called them prairies ; which, in 
his language, was the name for meadows. They were 
everywhere so smooth and green, and the low, round 
hills here and there, with their clusters of trees, looked 
so much like orchards, that it seemed almost as if 
people had lived here a great while ago, and planted 
these trees, and leveled these beautiful prairies. 




A Prairie Farm. 



3. One might have traveled many miles, east and 
west and south, and found them everywhere the same. 
Many beautiful birds hid in the grass, or went hopping 
about after the seeds and the insects on which they fed. 
There were also great herds of buffaloes, that fed upon 
the prairie grass ; and curious little animals, called 
prairie dogs, made their burrows together, like the 
houses of a village. 



FROM ST. PAUL TO ST. LOUIS. 31 

4. Sometimes in the summer, when the grass was very 
dry, a little spark from a hunter's gun or pipe would 
set it on fire. Then the flame rushed over miles and 
miles of land, burning every blade of grass, and every 
tree and shrub ; and even the animals could not always 
get out of the way of the fire, which went as fast as the 
wind. The burning prairie looks very grand; but when 
the flame is gone, and only the bare black earth is left, 
it is very dreary. 

" 5. The prairie country, in winter, was sometimes one 
vast sheet of snow, with only here and there a house 
dotting it, and not a tree nor a fence to mark one place 
from another. It was very dangerous then for people 
to try to cross the prairies ; for as the roads were covered 
with snow, and there was nothing to mark their place, 
travelers sometimes got lost, and were frozen to death. 

6. Now all this is changed ; and along the Mississippi 
and far westward, where once the wild prairies bloomed, 
there are busy cities, and pretty villages, and great farms 
with immense fields of wheat and corn, stretching as far 
as the eye can reach. Throughout the prairie country, 
the gently-sloping banks of the Mississippi are inter- 
rupted by steep walls, that rise on each side far above 
the water, as though a pathway had been cut for it, 
deep below the surface of the plain. These high steep 
slopes are called bluffs. 

7. The bluffs do not rise close along both banks of 
the river. They are separated by a broad band of land, 
so low and flat as to be always overflowed Avhen the 
water is a little higher than usual. This is called 
bottom land. Some parts of it are great marshes, cov- 
ered with tall grass, or with thickets of cane that look 



32 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



something like fields of corn, though the cane is much 
higher than the tallest corn. Other parts are covered 
with dense forests. 

8. The river has now become very large ; and, though 
there are no waterfalls or rapids, it still flows quite 
swiftly. Its course, too, is very winding. In some 
places, it glides in curves through the middle of the 
bottom lands ; in others, its path is directly under the 
foot of the bluffs, which it is all the time washing and 
wearing away, carrying down to the sea the earth and 
rocks that fall from them. 

9. Great trees, too, have the earth thus washed away 
from them, and are carried downward by the waters. 
Sometimes their roots become fastened to the bottom of 
the river, while their sharp tops, pointed down stream, 
reach nearly or quite to the surface. These are called 
snags, and are very dangerous ; for steamers going up 
stream may easily run against them and be wrecked. 

10. When we have gone about half the length of the 
Mississippi, and have passed many rivers flowing into 
it from both east and west, we reach the mouth of the 
Missouri, its largest tributary. This stream is much 
wider than that part of the Mississippi above it, and 
twice as long. Missouri means great muddy ; and as 
the broad mass of muddy water comes pouring into the 
clear Mississippi, we do not at all wonder at the name. 




ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI. 33 



IX. -ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI. 

St. Lou'-is [Saint Loo' -is]. I plan-ta'-tions. al'-li-ga-tors. 

rep'-tiles. New Or'-le-ans. lev'-ee [lev'-y], 

1. Below the mouth of the Missouri, is St. Louis, the 
largest city upon the banks of the Mississippi. It is 
also one of the largest and best located places in the 
United States. Its position on the Mississippi enables 
it to send boats from its wharves, not only to every city 
and village along this river, but also to those on the 
Missouri. 

2. But this is not all. Not far below St. Louis, is 
the mouth of the Ohio, which is also a tributary of the 
Mississippi. By this stream, boats can be sent to Cin- 
cinnati and Pittsburg, and other places on its banks. 
Thus, by these three great rivers, and the smaller ones 
flowing into them, St. Louis can easily trade with every 
part of the rich plain through which they flow. Be- 
sides, like Cincinnati, railroads lead from this city in all 
directions. A long and handsome bridge, with railroad 
tracks as well as a carriage way, crosses the Mississippi 
here. 

3. Below the mouth of the Ohio, the rich country 
through which the Mississippi flows begins to be cov- 
ered with fields of cotton, instead of wheat and corn. 
In the spring, the young plant may be seen starting up 
from the seeds, in long lines across the fields. It grows 
rapidly, and puts forth branches like a little tree; and 
in summer it is covered with pretty pale-yellow flow- 
ers. Towards autumn, instead of flowers, there is a 



34 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



round fruit, looking somewhat like a walnut covered 
with its outside coat. When this fruit is ripe, it opens; 
and the long fibers of cotton, in which the seeds are 
wrapped, cover the plants like balls of snow. 

4. Now hundreds of negro men and women may be 
seen in the fields, picking the cotton carefully from the 
pod with their fingers. This is very slow work; and, 




Cotton Picking. 

as the cotton balls are not all ripe at the same time, it 
lasts a long while. After the cotton is picked, it is 
dried, and the seeds are all taken out. This is done by 
a machine called a cotton gin, which works very rapidly. 
Finally, the snowy mass is packed in great bundles, 
or bales, and is ready to be sent to the cotton mills, 
to be made into cloth. - 



ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI. 35 

5. The country on each side of the lower Mississippi, 
for hundreds of miles from its mouth, is very low and 
flat. It is one great plain of black earth and sand, in 
which not even a single stone can be seen. The parts 
near the river are a little higher than the rest ; and 
they are covered with great plantations of sugar 
cane, looking like fields of corn. Farther from the 
river, are immense marshes covered with canebrakes 
and tall trees. 

6. Every year, in the spring and early summer, the 
streams overflow their banks ; and these marshes become 
lakes, in which only the tops of the trees can be seen. 
Often villages would be washed away, plantations cov- 
ered, and everything destroyed, were it not for walls, 
called levees, which are built on the banks of the river 
to make them higher, and prevent overflowing. Some- 
times these levees are broken, and the lands behind 
them are covered with water, and many people are 
drowned. 

7. This is a warm country, like the southern part of 
the Atlantic Plain. The marshes and streams are 
thronged with alligators, snakes, turtles, and other 
reptiles ; and the air swarms with troublesome insects. 

8. Towards the mouth of the Mississippi, with the 
sugar plantations all about it, is the great city of New 
Orleans. To this place the planters bring their sugar 
and molasses, to be put upon steamboats or sailing ves- 
sels, and sent to parts of the country where sugar cane 
is not raised. Boats and cars come here, too, loaded 
with cotton from the plantations farther up the river. 
This, also, is sent to other parts of our own country, or 
across the ocean to distant countries, where it is used 



36 



GEOGBAPHICAL BE A DEB. 



to supply the mills. Thus you see that this, too, is a 
very active city. It is also a curious old town. You 
will like to learn more about it when older. 

9. We have now traveled all the way from the 
source of the Mississippi to its mouth, about one hun- 
dred miles below New Orleans. This river is so very 




On the Levee at New Orleans. 

long, that should we start from its source in the spring, 
just after the snow is gone, and travel twenty miles 
every day, it would be nearly fall before we should 
arrive at its mouth. There are but very few rivers in 
the whole world longer than the Mississippi. The part 
of the sea into which it flows, lies upon the south side 
of the United States, and is called the Gulf of Mexico. 



AT THE MOUTH OF THE HUDSON. 37 

10. Ships from other countries cross the Atlantic 
Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and go up the Missis- 
sippi to New Orleans. There they unload their car- 
goes. Some of the goods are used in the city; and 
some are put on steamboats, and sent up the river to 
other places. These steamboats return to New Orleans, 
loaded with lumber, wheat, corn, tobacco, cotton, and 
other things, which are to be shipped to countries 
across the ocean. 

11. Thus, you see, the rivers help to make a pathway, 
not only between different parts of our country, but 
also to other countries beyond the ocean. This it is 
which makes large rivers so important. 



X.-AT THE MOUTH OF THE HUDSON. 
Hud'-son. | In'-di-an. | an'-chor [an'-ker]. 

1. There is, in the northern part of the United 
States, another river, which, though it is only about 
half as long as the part of the Mississippi above the 
Falls of St. Anthony, yet is nearly as important as the 
Mississippi itself. It is the Hudson. It flows from 
north to south through the eastern part of the State of 
New York. At its mouth is New York, the largest 
city in America. 

2. Boats come down the Hudson to New York, bring- 
ing loads of wheat and corn from the great grainfields 
on the prairies, loads of lumber from the forests near 
the sources of the Mississippi, and many other products 
coming from the west by the great lakes on the north- 



38 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



ern border of the United States. By the same route, 
the silks, coffee, and tea, and other merchandise brought 
to New York in ships, from countries across the ocean, 
are forwarded to their places of destination in the 
north and west. The Hudson is therefore much more 
important than most other rivers of its size ; and is 
more useful than many that are much larger. 




New York Harbor. 

3. New York, though it is one of the largest cities 
in the world, is not nearly so old as most cities in 
other countries. The first houses were built there not 
quite three hundred years ago, by some Dutch people 
who came from a country on the other side of the 
Atlantic Ocean. 

4. Then the great plain east of the Appalachian 
Mountains, which is now covered with farms, pretty 



AT THE MOUTH OF THE HUDSON. 39 

villages, and fine cities, was everywhere one unbroken 
forest. In the shade of these forests, lived many 
beautiful birds and some large and strong ones, like 
the eagle. There were many fierce wild animals, — 
bears, wolves, and panthers; and there were many 
harmless ones, like the deer. 

5. The Indians, also, lived in these forests. Their 
huts were the only houses the Dutch strangers found; 
and their bark canoes, the only boats on the Hudson. 
The Indians did not like to have the white people 
come to live in their country; because they cut down 
the forests, built houses, and plowed and planted the 
fields, and thus frightened away the wild animals. 
They, therefore, burned the houses of the Dutch, and 
killed many people. In this way they tried to drive 
them away, or to prevent their making themselves 
comfortable, and increasing in numbers. 

6. But they did not succeed. More Dutch people 
came every year; and, by and by, English people came 
also. The little village grew into a great town; the 
town increased in size as the years passed, and at 
length became a city. Fine, large buildings were put 
up; new streets, broad and straight, were opened; and 
pretty parks were laid out. And thus, after many }^ears, 
New York, which began with a dozen or two little log 
houses, has become the great city it now is. 

7. In the broad mouth of the river, beside the city, 
are hundreds and hundreds of ships from all parts of 
the Avorlcl. Some are moved by the wind blowing 
against sails ; others are great steamers, much larger 
and stronger than those on the Mississippi. Some are 
used to carry goods and passengers from one place to 



40 GEOGRAPHICAL RE A DEB. 

another; others are war ships, carrying soldiers, and 
great, heavy, terrible cannons. 

8. Here, also, are large steamboats which run only 
upon the Hudson. Some of these Hudson steamers are 
very elegant, and move over the water with great speed. 
We shall presently get into one of them, and make a 
journey up the river. 

9. Many vessels lie quietly on the water, held in 
place by a strong, heavy anchor, which is fastened to 
the ship by a great rope, called a cable. When the 
master of the ship wishes to remain in the same place 
for some time, he has the anchor thrown into the water ; 
and it sinks to the bottom, fastens itself to the earth 
by its strong hooks, and holds the ship securely. This 
place in which the ships are lying at anchor, is called 
the harbor. 

10. There are islands, near the mouth of the river, 
that keep the great waves of the sea from rolling into 
the harbor ; and the high lands, on each side of it, pre- 
vent the winds from blowing very hard upon the ships. 
Thus, they are in no danger of being dashed about and 
broken to pieces, as they might be in the ocean. New 
York Harbor is one of the largest and safest in the 
world. 




UP THE HUDSON, 41 



XI. -UP THE HUDSON. 

per-pen-dic'-u-lar. i aq'-ue-duct [ak'-we-]. i Al'-ba-ny. 
Pal-i-sades'. car'-goes. Ad-i-ron'-dacks. 

1. At nine o'clock on a beautiful spring morning, we 
make our way to the place where the Hudson River 
steamers are to be found, and go on board one of them. 
The sunlight falls on the sails that skim the harbor, 
and makes them white as snow ; and the tall domes and 
spires of the city glitter like silver. 

2. We pass miles of wharves lined with vessels which 
are receiving or discharging their cargoes, and of 
streets, some bordered with low, dirty-looking shops, 
some with tall, handsome buildings. Here and there, 
are large factories with dull brick walls and smoking 
chimneys. Now we begin to know what a great city 
New York is. At length the shops and wharves and 
straight, paved streets, are all passed, and we are steam- 
ing along through the country. 

3. On the east bank of the river, are elegant country 
houses, surrounded by trees, with pretty walks winding 
down the green slope to the Avater's edge. There are 
dark evergreens with their tall, stiff figures, and grace- 
ful elms and maples, with their delicate green leaves 
dancing in the morning wind. There are other trees, 
covered with snow-white flowers, with scarcely a leaf 
to be seen. The ground is smooth, and the grass thick 
and green, showing that somebody has taken care of 
these lands, and spent much time and money to make 
them beautiful. 



42 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



4. The west side looks very different. There rises, 
near the river's edge, a great perpendicular wall of 
naked rock, reaching very much higher than the tallest 
tree. It begins opposite the upper part of New York, 
and extends several miles up the river. 

5. This wall is called the Palisades. That sloping 

bank seen at its 
foot, is made of 
pieces of rock that 
occasionally fall 
from above. Here 
and there, at the 
foot of the slope, 
is a little cottage or 
other small build- 
ing ; but there are 
none of those fine 
houses and parks 
that make the other 
bank so beautiful. 

6. Just above the 
Palisades, the river 
spreads out into a 
broad sheet, like a 
lake. This is called 
Tappan Bay. The 
banks are high, and covered with handsome houses and 
parks, like those already seen ; and here and there, are 
pretty little villages almost hidden by trees. Beyond 
the villages, are fine farms, with orchards covered with 
their fragrant pink and white blossoms. Plowmen 
and sowers are working in the fields ; and flocks of 




Palisades of the Hudson. 



UP THE HUDSON. 



43 



sheep and lambs, and herds of cows, are feeding upon 
the hillsides. 

7. At the upper end of Tappan Bay, the Croton, a 
little river of bright, pure water, flows into the Hudson. 
It comes from small lakes far away among the hills 
east of the Hudson. From the Croton, water is car- 
ried, in a great tube called an aqueduct, all the way to 
the city of New York, and is sent through pipes into 
the houses and other buildings; for, in a great city 
where so many people 
live, they cannot have 
springs and wells of pure 
water, as in the country. 

8. After a time, the 
Hudson becomes very 
narrow, and changes its 
course, so that we can 
see it only for a short 
distance ahead. On both 
sides, great mountains 

COme down to the Water's Highlands of the Hudson. 

edge, with their steep, rocky slopes covered with forests 
of evergreens. The river seems to be coming to an end 
at the foot of these mountains. 

9. As we go on, a narrow passage opens between them. 
— so narrow that one could almost toss a stone from 
the boat to either bank. Through this passage, the 
river rushes very swiftly, and the people here call this 
place the Horse Race. For a long distance, the river 
keeps this narrow path, with the mountains on each 
side of it. All this mountain region together, is called 
the Highlands of the Hudson. 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 4 




44 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

10. Iii the Highlands, on a part of the mountain side 
which is less steep, is West Point, of which you will 
hear and read many interesting things as you become 
older. Opposite West Point, is the narrowest part of 
the Hudson. Many years ago our country was at war 
with England, and the English had possession of New 
York. Our people then built strong forts here, with 
heavy guns pointing over the river, to fire on the 
English ships if they should attempt to go up the stream 
to destroy the cities and villages along its banks. 

11. Beyond the Highlands, for many miles, the high, 
sloping banks of the river are again covered with fine 
farms and elegant buildings, with villages and cities 
here and there. Soon the distant Catskill Mountains 
appear in the west, like a bank of purple clouds. 
They do not approach very near to the river, but in 
some places can be seen quite plainly. 

12. Above the Catskills, the river contains many 
islands. Some are rocky and covered with trees, and 
look like little hills in the middle of the stream. 
Others are very flat, and covered with low plants. 

13. After some hours, we reach Albany, the largest 
city on the Hudson above New York. It is built on a 
number of hills extending back from the river, rising 
one beyond another ; so that, in passing, a great part 
of the city can be seen. On the top of one of these 
hills, surrounded by fine old elms, is a large building 
in which, every winter, chosen men, from all parts of 
the State meet to make the laws that govern its people. 
Because they meet here, Albany is called the capital 
of New York. The building in which they meet is 
named the Capitol. 



UP THE HUDSON. 45 

14. Six miles above Albany, there is a smaller city, 
named Troy. Here, as in Harrisburg and Pittsburg, 
are great furnaces and iron works. We have now been 
from early morning until late afternoon upon the river, 
and have gone from New York to Troy, one hundred 
and fifty miles. 

15. We can go no farther than Troy on the steamer, 
for here the stream becomes too small, and, like the 
upper Mississippi, its course is filled with rapids and 
waterfalls. The finest of these is Glens Falls. There, 
and at the other rapids and falls, are mills of different 
kinds, the wheels of which are moved by the water of 
the river. Thus the upper Hudson, as well as the 
lower and larger part, is very useful. Its source is far 
away in the northern part of the State, among high, 
rugged mountains called the Adirondacks. 

16. Nearly every part of the Hudson thus lies among 
mountains. Above the Palisades, mountains — some- 
times near at hand, sometimes far off — are in sight of 
the river through the whole distance to its source. 
Along the entire length of the Mississippi, nearly ten 
times that of the Hudson, there is not a single moun- 
tain range ; the bluffs are the only high land to be 
seen. The Mississippi is the river of the Great Plain, 
but the Hudson is a mountain river. 

17. The Hudson has only one large tributary, the 
Mohawk. It flows from the west, and enters the Hud- 
son near Troy. The Mohawk valley is full of fine farms, 
and covered with pretty villages; and along the river 
are busy cities. The Dutch, who founded New York, 
made settlements about the mouth of the Mohawk; and 
some of their fine old mansions are still to be seen. 



46 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



XII. -THE BRIE CANAL AND THE GREAT 
LAKES. 

Mack'-i-nac [-naw]. \ Mich'-i-gan [Mish'-~\. | Chi-ca'-go [-kaw'-]. 

1. From Albany, a canal has been made through 
the Mohawk valley, connecting the Hudson with Lake 
Erie. It is a broad, deep channel filled with water, on 
which boats run between the river and the lake. Lake 
Erie is one of the five Great Lakes which extend along 
the northern border of the United States. By the 
Hudson, the Erie Canal, and the Great Lakes, we have 
a water route all the way from New York to the great 
grainfields on the prairies. 

2. Canal boats, loaded at New York, are towed by 
steamboats up the river, and are drawn on the canal 
by horses walking on a towpath beside it. At length 
they reach Buffalo, a large city at the east end of Lake 
Erie. The goods are now taken from them, and put 
upon larger boats which sail upon the lakes; and the 
canal boats are loaded with grain, lumber, and other 
freight, and sent back to New York. 

3. Lake Erie is very different from the little lakes 
found among the hills on the upper Mississippi. It is 
much longer than the whole distance from New York to 
Troy; and it is so wide, that, if we were in the middle 
of it, we could scarcely see land on either side. 

4. Sometimes, when the wind blows hard, the water 
is lifted up in great ridges, with deep hollows between 
them, like little hills and valleys in the lake. These 
movements of water are called waves, and they heave 



THE ERIE CANAL AND THE GREAT LAKES. 47 



the large vessels about as easily as you could toss an 
eggshell in your hand. Sometimes vessels, driven 
ashore, are dashed to pieces by them; and all the 
people on board are drowned, and all the goods lost. 




The Mohawk Valley and the Erie Canal. 

The southern side of Lake Erie belongs to the United 
States; and along its shores, are cities and villages, 
where the steamers stop to receive or land passengers 
and goods. 

5. At the west end of Lake Erie, a short river enters 
it from the north. It comes from Lake Huron, and 



48 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

widens in the middle, forming Lake St. Clair. Lake 
Huron is nearly three times as large as Lake Erie. In 
it are many large, beautiful islands covered with trees ; 
and, in almost its whole extent, it is bordered with 
forests like those about the source of the Mississippi. 
There are no large cities, and but few villages, on its 
shores. After we have gone the entire length of Lake 
Huron, we enter a narrower body of water, named the 
Strait of Mackinac. Through this we enter Lake 
Michigan. 

6. Lake Michigan is the smaller one of two great 
lakes which we can enter from the head of Lake Huron. 
It extends far toward the south, and much of its shore, 
in the northern part, is covered with forests. All around 
the southern part, are villages and cities, which are every 
day sending out vessels loaded with lumber from the 
forests, or with produce from the farms. At its head, 
is Chicago, one of the greatest cities in America. 

7. The grain, flour, beef, and pork produced in the 
regions around, and even far west of, the Mississippi 
are brought here in immense quantities, and forwarded 
to New York. From this place, they can easily be sent, 
in ocean ships, to all parts of the world. Since there are 
railroads in every direction, Chicago trades with other 
cities, as well as with New York, to which it has this 
easy waterway by the lakes, the canal, and the Hudson. 

8. Lake Superior is the other great lake which is 
connected, by a short and narrow stream, with Lake 
Huron. On its shores, also, are pine forests. In some 
places on the south shore, there rise from the water's 
edge high walls of rocks of strange forms and different 
colors. These are called the Pictured Rocks. 



THE ERIE CANAL AND THE GREAT LAKES. 49 



9. Parts of the shore are very high and steep ; and 
in one place a river, in entering the lake, falls over the 
steep precipice, making a beautiful waterfall. When 
there are storms, the waves dash against these rocks 
with great fury ; and, if there should be vessels in 
that part of the lake, they would be almost sure to 
be wrecked, for there is no sheltered harbor in which 
they could find safety. 

10. This is one of the largest lakes of fresh water 
known in the . whole 
world. It spreads out 
on all sides, like a great 
sea. A steamer is two 
or three days in going 
from one end of it to 
the other, and, in the 
middle parts, is out of 
sight of land, as though 
in the middle of the 
ocean. There are not so 
many vessels seen on 
this lake as on the other Copper Mining. 

three ; and there are but few cities along its border. 

11. On the south shore, there are large mines of 
copper, in which hundreds of men are at work all 
the time. Sometimes great lumps of pure copper are 
found, with no rock, or other substance, mingled with 
it, but all ready for use. This is called native copper. 
Rich iron ore, also, is found on the south shore ; and 
all summer one may meet, on the lakes, vessels loaded 
with it. Ore is. sent from these mines to cities on 
the shores of the other lakes, and even to more distant 




50 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



places, where there are furnaces for separating the 
metal. 

12. Toward the foot of the lake, near Lake Huron, 
many people are engaged in catching white fish, which 
are abundant here. In the forests along the shores, are 
many wild animals which used to be hunted for their 
furs. Among these is the heaver. Do you know how he 




11 



if 



ill 



T 



is 



Beavers at Work. 

builds his home upon the streams ? 
13. At the western end of Lake 
Superior, the St. Louis River 
enters it. This stream has its 
source very near that of the Mis- 
sissippi, in the same forest-covered hills ; and, like that 
river, its waters find their way, through a long, long 
course, to the Atlantic Ocean. 



LAKE ONTARIO AND THE ST. LAWRENCE. 



51 



XIII. — LAKE ONTARIO AND THE ST. 

LAWRENCE. 

La-chine' [sheen']. | Mon-tre-al' [-awl']. | Mont-mo-ren'-ci [se]. 

l. From the east end of Lake Erie, a passage, called 
Niagara River, leads northward to another great basin, 




The American Fall, from the Canadian Bank. 

Lake Ontario. About half way between these lakes, are 
the great Niagara Falls. 

2. This broad mass of water is of a pale green color; 
the boiling, rolling stream beloAV is snowy white ; while 
the clonds of mist show, in the sunshine, all the colors 
of the rainbow. In the middle of the fall, is an island, 
crowned with evergreen trees; and its black rocks divide 
the beautiful green waters into two broad sheets. 

3. The broad green wall of waters, the white foamy 
mass below, the black rocks, and the dark green foli- 
age, with the roaring, thundering noise of the rushing 
waters, present a grand and wonderful scene. 



52 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

4. Lake Ontario is the last and the smallest of the five 
Great Lakes, and the only one that has both shores bor- 
dered everywhere with farms, villages, and cities. The 
southern shore belongs to the United States, and the 
northern to the Dominion of Canada. From the east- 
ern end of this lake, the water flows northeastward to 
the Atlantic, in a great stream called the St. Lawrence. 
At the point where it leaves the lake, is a city on the 
Canada shore named Kingston. From this place, steam- 
ers are every day going around the lake, and down the 
river, stopping at all the important places. 

5. The part of the river near the lake is filled with a 
great number of islands, — some quite large, and others 
very small. They were once all covered with tall for- 
est trees, and are reflected in the quiet waters as in a 
mirror, making a very beautiful picture. This part is 
called the Lake of the Thousand Islands. 

6. Below the Thousand Islands, the river is broad and 
gentle for a long distance, with fine forests on both sides 
of it, and only here and there a village on the banks. 
Farther on, the banks become higher and steeper, and 
the river more swift, and we enter the great rapids. 
In the middle of the stream, are many islands; and the 
river foams and dashes through the narrow channels, 
carrying our boat with it. It needs several strong men 
to guide it so that it shall not strike the rocks in its 
passage. These are the Lachine Rapids. 

7. We could not go up the rapids as we have come 
down; for the water would force the boat back as fast 
as the steam could drive it forward. For this reason, a 
canal has been cut around the rapids, for vessels which 
are going up stream. 



LAKE ONTARIO AND THE ST. LAWRENCE. 53 

8. A little below the Thousand Islands, the river 
leaves the border of the United States, and goes across 
the Dominion of Canada to the ocean. There are not 
upon its banks such numbers of villages and cities as 
along the Mississippi and the Hudson ; for this part of 




The Citadel of 
Quebec. 



the Dominion is rather cold, and does not contain many 
people. The country is, in many parts, still covered 
with forests where only hunters, Indians, and wild 
animals live. 

9. The largest city on the St. Lawrence is Montreal, 
a little way below Lachine Rapids. It is situated at 
the foot of a mountain, on an island. Opposite the 
upper end of the island, a large stream, called the 
Ottaiva, flows into the St. Lawrence from the north. 

10. Quebec, another city on the St. Lawrence, is built 



54 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 

at the mouth of the St. Charles, about one day's jour- 
ney for a steamboat, below Montreal. It stands on the 
point of land made by the meeting of the two rivers. 
Next the river, the ground is nearly as low as the 
stream ; but farther back, it rises in a steep bluff. 

11. Quebec is built partly on the low, and partly on 
the high land. The Upper Town — that is, the part 
on the hill — contains a strong fort called the citadel, 
and is surrounded by a great wall with five gates. In 
the citadel, are soldiers whose duty it is to defend the 
towti if an enemy should attack it. 

12. Looking about you from the citadel, you see, in 
front, the river spread out like a broad lake, its surface 
dotted with vessels, with now and then a steamer hur- 
rying to and fro, or a raft of lumber floating slowly 
down the stream. 

13. Below you is the Lower Town, having on one 
side the broad St. Lawrence, and on the other the small, 
beautiful St. Charles. Behind, away in the distance, are 
green hills and forest-covered mountains, and, stretch- 
ing away to the east as far as you can see, the great 
river, becoming always broader and broader, until it 
seems to be itself another lake going to the sea ; for it 
soon becomes half as wide as Lake Erie. 1 

14. The French people began to build this town, long 
before the Dutch commenced New York; and though 
the English took it from them in time of war, there are 
still many French people living here, and French is more 
spoken than English. 

15. The summers in Quebec are quite warm ; but the 

1 The St. Lawrence just below Quebec is twelve miles in width ; but, 
long before it reaches the Gulf, it has a width of near thirty miles. 



LAKE ONTARIO AND THE ST. LAWRENCE. 55 

winters are long, and very, very cold. The snow is 
deep ; and the small lakes and rivers, and even the great 
St. Lawrence, from Montreal all the way to the sea, are 
frozen over for several months.' Then people drive 
about upon them in sleighs, instead of sailing in boats 
as in summer. 

16. When the spring comes, and the ice in the St. 
Lawrence begins to break up, the sight is very grand. 
Great blocks of ice are carried down stream by the water; 
for the upper part, nearest the lake, feels the warm 
weather first ; and they are sometimes heaped one upon 
another, until immense masses are formed. The strong- 
est bridges are often broken away by the drifting ice. 

17. A few miles below Quebec, a small river, called 
the Montmorenci, flows into the St. Lawrence. The 
banks of the great river are here very high ; and the 
water of the Montmorenci makes a long leap to get 
from its oavii bed down to the St. Lawrence. As you 
sail along, you do not see the small river, which is far 
above, and hidden by the bank, — you see only the water 
pouring over a great j)recipice, higher than that of 
Niagara, as if coming from the clouds. These are the 
Falls of Montmorenci. 

18. In winter the falls are very grand, and many 
people go from Quebec to see them. The ground is 
buried in snow ; and the branches of the evergreen 
pines and firs are bending under its weight. The leaf- 
less trees, even to every little twig, are covered with 
ice ; and when the sun rises in the morning, and shines 
upon them, they glisten like a forest of diamonds. 

19. The precipice, too, is covered with ice ; and the 
mist which rises from the bottom, as at Niagara, freezes, 



56 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

and forms steep hillocks of ice. People drive to Mont- 
morenci from Quebec, to go skating, or to climb the ice 
hills and slide down their steep slopes. 

20. From this place to the ocean, the river flows on, 
broad and majestic, with forests covering the whole 
country around, and on both sides mountains rising in 
the distance. In these forests, are many wild animals, 
some of them covered with the finest fur. Many trap- 
pers hunt them for their furs, which are made into 
warm wraps, for use in the long, cold winters. 



XIV. - LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND THE ADIRON- 
DACK^. 

Cham-plain'. Rich'-e-lieu. New Eng'-land. 

[Sham-}. [Re-she-loo']. [Ing'-]. 

1. In followiug the St. Lawrence to the sea, we were 
obliged to leave our own country and go into Canada. 
There is a pleasant part of our country south of the 
St. Lawrence, which Ave could not see on this journey. 

2. Between Montreal and Quebec, there is a river, 
named Richelieu, flowing northward into the St. Law- 
rence, from Lake Champlain, which lies between New 
York and New England. At the upper end of this lake, 
is a smaller, but more beautiful one, the water of which 
flows into Lake Champlain. This is Lake G-eorge. 

3. These lakes have clear blue water, with many little 
islands rising from the surface, covered with evergreen 
trees. On their shores, are forest-covered mountains and 
hills, which, with the islands, are all pictured in the 
quiet waters below ; and away in the distance, on both 
sides, are other and higher mountains, that make a 



LAKE CHAM PLAIN AND THE AD IRON HACKS. 0. 

framework of green for the clear, bright lakes. Many 
people go every summer from New York and other cities, 
and live in little villages on the shores of these lakes, to 
enjoy the views, and sail on the clear waters. 

4. The high mountains west of Lake Champlain are 
the Adirondacks. They belong to the Appalachian 
system, but are much higher and rougher than the 
mountains of Pennsylvania. If you were on the top 




Lake Georgfe. 



of one, and looking over the country, you would see 
mountain beyond mountain, stretching away on every 
side, like the waves of a great rolling sea. 

5. The whole country is covered with grand old for- 
ests, just as it was before the white people came. Here 
and there, on the steep sides of the mountains, you 
see large spaces of bare rock. These were once, like 
the rest, covered with trees. At some time, after a 
long rain, the earth upon these rocks became loosened 
from its place, and went sliding down the mountains. 



58 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

carrying all the great trees with it to the foot, leaving 
the mountain side bare and drear, as you now see it. 

6. In the hollows among the mountains, are hundreds 
of small lakes, whose black waters reflect the mountains, 
the forests, and the sky as perfectly as the finest mirror. 
If you were upon one of these lakes in the nighttime, 
you could see the sky and the moon and stars below 
you just as distinctly as above. 

7. There are very few villages or farms in this moun- 




The Adirondack^. 

tain country. These regions still belong in great part 
to the wild beasts ; and bears, wolves, and deer, with 
hundreds of smaller animals, roam through them at will. 
8. There are rich ores of iron in all parts of the 
Adirondacks; but some of the richest beds are away 
in the midst of the mountains, where the country is so 
rough that they cannot easily be reached for working. 
In the region around the mountains, are villages and 
cities, where the people are melting bre, or making 
articles from iron, as in Pennsylvania. 



NEW ENGLAND. 59 



XV.— NEW ENGLAND. 

Bos'-ton. I Brook'-lyn. I Ches'-a-peake [-peek]. 

Con-nect'-i-cut [-net'*]. J Bal'-ti-more [Bawl'-]. | Po-to'-mac. 

1. The part of our country east of the valley in 
which Lake Champlain and the Hudson River lie, is 
called New England. There is first a range of forest- 
covered mountains, extending away to the south much 
farther than the lake itself. This is the beautiful Green 
Mountain range. East of this, is a long valley extend- 
ing southward by its side. 

2. This is not a level valley; but it is covered with 
low, green hills. In every part of it we see fine farms, 
and pretty, busy villages and cities. In the middle of 
the valley, winding along its whole length, is the Con- 
necticut River. Its pleasant banks are dotted with 
farmhouses, surrounded by green meadows, orchards, 
and fields of grain. 

3. Beyond the valley, is another ridge of land, on the 
northern part of which is a knot of mountains some- 
what like the Adirondacks, but much higher than they. 
These are the WJiite Mountains. Mount Washington 
is the highest of them. The high peaks near it are 
named for other presidents ; and it is common to call 
this whole group the Presidential Range. 

4. All over New England, are green hills and fruit- 
ful valleys, or forest-covered mountains with beautiful 
glassy lakes, as in the Adirondacks. From these, flow 
silvery streams, which go dancing along, adown the 
hills and mountains, to the sea. On their banks, are 
villages, crowded with mills whose wheels are turned 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 5 



60 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



by the swift waters ; and great cities, filled with busy 
people who are sawing, hammering, spinning, weaving, 
grinding, and making all sorts of things, — working 
away as though they had twice as many things to do 
as they could possibly find time for. 

5. On the seashore, too, are large cities. Here they 




White Mountains. 

are building great ships to sail on the ocean, or loading 
them with lumber from the forests, ice from the moun- 
tain lakes (for it is very cold here in winter), and boots 
and shoes, and cloth, and all sorts of goods. Thus they 
send these things to market, and bring back cotton for 
their mills, sugar and tea and coffee for their tables, 
and many other things which they need. Other vessels 



NEW ENGLAND. 



61 



go toward the mouth of the St. Lawrence, to the fishing 
grounds, or take brave men away to the distant parts 
of the ocean to catch whales. 

6. The rivers are full of rapids and falls, and very few 
are large enough for vessels to sail upon ; but there are 
railroads all over the country, to carry the goods from 
place to place. Everywhere are fine schools, in which 




The City of Boston. 

children and young people can learn whatever they need 
to make them wise and useful. 

7. The largest of the cities in New England is Bos- 
ton. This city was founded in 1630, only ten years 
after the " Pilgrim Fathers " came to Plymouth in the 
"Mayflower." You will, as you become older, hear of 
many beautiful and interesting things which are in Bos- 
ton, and of many famous men who have lived there. 



62 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 

8. At this city we will take one of the New England 
steamers, and sail southward along our whole Atlantic 
coast. On the way we shall pass Brooklyn, one of the 
boroughs of New York. It is on Long Island, and is 
separated from the chief borough, Manhattan, by the 
East River. Boats go every few minutes from Man- 
hattan to Brooklyn, carrying thousands of people every 
day. Other thousands daily cross on the great suspen- 
sion bridge between the boroughs. Yery many people 
who live in Brooklyn have their places of business in 
Manhattan. 

9. Farther south, are Philadelphia and Baltimore, nei- 
ther of which is upon the seashore, but ships can easily 
reach both. They are near parts of the ocean called 
bays; which extend, like arms, away from its great body, 
far into the land. Philadelphia is near Delate are Bay, 
into which the Delaware River flows. Baltimore is 
near Chesapeake Bay, on a river which flows into it. 

10. South of Baltimore the Potomac flows into this bay. 
Upon the Potomac is Washington, a city of great 
interest to us. There the President lives, and every 
year men chosen from the different States meet there 
to make laws for the whole country ; for Washington 
is the capital of the United States. 

11. Still farther south, upon the seashore, are several 
fine cities, though no very large ones. Here we pass 
the turpentine forests, the palmetto groves, the cotton 
fields, the swampy rice lands, and the immense marshes 
of the southern part of the Atlantic Plain, with their 
trailing moss and their water plants, their alligators and 
their swamp birds. 

12. Here, also, are forests of the live oak, the wood 



IN THE BOGEY MOUNTAIN COUNTRY. 63 

of which is very durable, and is excellent for building 
ships. Now we sail along the coast of Florida, the 
most southern State of our country. Finally we turn 
westward, pass into the Gulf of Mexico, and at length 
arrive at New Orleans. 

13. We have now seen the eastern half of the United 
States, the part in which are very many of the great 
cities, and in which a large part of the people live. 
Everywhere we have found rich farms, fine forests, or 
fruitful prairies ; and in every part, are rivers and 
lakes, some small, others so very large that we can sail 
upon them hundreds and even thousands of miles. 

14. This half of the United States, with its rich lands, 
its great lakes, and long rivers, extends beyond the 
Mississippi, almost half way to the foot of the Rocky 
Mountains. You will find the western half very differ- 
ent ; but I hope it will interest you to learn something 
about it. 



XVI. -IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN COUNTRY. 
buf'-fa-loes. j pas'-ture. | Den'-ver. 

l. The prairie land, beginning along the Mississippi, 
extends westward to the Rocky Mountains, the limit 
of the Great Central Plain. The far western ]3rairies, 
however, are not all rich and beautiful like those along 
the Mississippi, but are high, and, in many parts, dry 
and naturally barren. On these prairies herds of buffa- 
loes used to feed, and the wild Indians used to roam. 
They lived in little huts, and spent their time in hunt- 
ing and fighting. They hunted the buffaloes for the 



64 



GEOGBAPHICAL HEADER. 



flesh, which they used for food ; and for the skins, 
which they sold to white people. 

2. When the buffaloes had eaten all the grass from 
one portion of the prairies, they went to another, where 
they found it fresh and green. The Indians, knowing 
where the best pastures were, and when the herds would 




An Indian Lodge. 

go to each, followed them, — some to one place, and 
some to another. They went in companies, and staid 
until the buffaloes had finished feeding in that place. 

3. When they went to the hunt, they rode on their 
fleetest horses; for the buffaloes run very swiftly. Many 
hunters usually went out together, and, when they had 
found a herd, surrounded the place, drove them together, 



IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN COUNTRY. 



65 



and killed them in great numbers. Sometimes, too, they 
drove them swiftly to the edge of a precipice, over which 
they fell, and hundreds at a time were killed. The In- 
dians were very fond of this way of hunting. 

4. The Rocky Mountains are quite different from 
any mountains in the eastern half of the United States. 
If you could look down 
upon them from above, 
you would see two great 
ranges, side by side, with 
a wide valley between 
them. They are so lofty 
that their lowest passes 
are higher than the high- 
est peaks of the Appa- 
lachians. Many short 
ranges, crossing between 
them, cut up the great 
inner valley into broad 
basins, some of them dark 
with forests, and others 
bright with rich prairie 
grass. All the lower and 
middle slopes of these Rock y M ° untaln s. 
mountains are thickly covered with forests. 

5. Higher up, the trees become smaller and smaller, 
until only bare gray rocks appear, with here and there 
patches of grass or of bright mountain flowers. Above 
these, are the high, wild peaks, covered with snow even 
in summer, and glistening above the dark forests and 
rocks like crowns of silver. These peaks have all sorts 
of rugged, broken forms ; and the whole mountain sys- 




66 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

tern looks as though the earth's crust had been all torn 
and broken in pieces, instead of gently folded, as it 
appeared in the Appalachians. 

6. You would hardly suppose people could wish to 
live among the Rocky Mountains ; but large numbers 
of men are there, and more are going every year. 
Great herds of cattle are pastured in the valleys be- 
tween the ranges; and in the mountains, are rich mines 
of silver and gold, with towns growing up around 
them. Denver, at the eastern side of the mountains, 
is a large, busy, and beautiful city. 

7. The Rocky Mountains make a great dividing wall, 
extending across the entire country. Even the water 
from the springs on the eastern side goes away to the 
Mississippi, and finally to the Atlantic Ocean ; while 
that on the western side flows to the Pacific. As you 
become older, you will be able to understand, much 
better than you now can, how very important this 
mountain system is. 



XVII. -ON THE TABLE-LAND. 

Si er'-ra Ne-va'-da. i can '-on. i Co-lo-ra'-do [-rah'-]. 

[Si-er'-ra Ne-vah'-da]. [can' -y on]. pla-teau' [pla-to']. 

l. Beyond the Rocky Mountains, is another vast 
plain, many hundred miles broad; and on the western 
border of that, is another great system of mountains, 
called the Sierra Nevada. This whole plain between 
the two mountain systems is lifted up, so that it is 
higher than the ranges of the Appalachian Mountains. 



ON THE TABLE-LAND. 



67 



Such a high plain is called a table-land, or sometimes a 
plateau. 

2. On a large part of this great table-land, it rains 
but very few times in the 
year. For this reason, the 
soil is so dry that only a 
few kinds of plants can 
grow, and there are no 
forests. The low plants 
do not look fresh and 
green, but gray and dusty, 
so that, a little way from 
them, you would think 
you were looking only on 
the bare gray earth. You 
may travel for clays, and 
find still the same dry, 
dreary country. How 
very different is this from 
the great forests of the 
Atlantic Plain, and the 
rich green prairies near 
the Mississippi ! 

3. Have you ever seen 
those plants called the 
cactus and the prickly 
pear? We have them set 
in boxes in our gardens; 
and in winter we keep them in a warm room. In a 
part of the table-land south of the middle, these are 
almost the only plants ; and they grow much taller and 
larger than any we have, for that is their native country. 




The Cactus. 



68 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

4. They are not covered with leaves, but are only 
great, branching, juicy stalks, with little bunches of 
hairs dotting them all over. These gather every bit of 
moisture there is in the air, and store it away in the 
great soft stalks ; thus the cactus can grow where 
grasses and other plants would soon dry up and die. 
Many of them have large scarlet or crimson flowers, 
which are very beautiful. 

5. In the hollows in different parts of the table-land, 
are lakes of salt water, some so salt that fish cannot 
live in them. Into some, little streams of water flow 
from the springs among the mountains and hills ; and 
along the borders of these, you will find a line of fresh 
green grass, and sometimes trees. These green belts 
with the bright streams, in the midst of this broad, 
gray, dreary land, are very beautiful. They are almost 
the only places on the great table-land which are natu- 
rally productive. The largest of the lakes is G-reat 
Salt Lake. Near it, in the State of Utah, is a large, 
thriving city named after the lake, Salt Lake City. 

6. In the whole table-land, where there is so little 
rain, there are but few rivers. These do not, like 
others which we have seen, flow through beautiful 
green valleys, with gentle slopes on each side, covered 
with farms and gardens. You may be riding across 
the country, and before you, as far as the eye can 
reach, there is no valley, no stream, to be seen. 

7. Presently you look down, and right there under 
your feet, is a great crack in the earth, with a solid wall 
of rock, like the Palisades, on each side of it. Down 
as far as you can see, there is not a spot on which you 
could set your foot. At the bottom is a river, looking 



ON THE TABLE-LAND. 



69 




Crand Canon of the Colorado- 



black and terrible in the dark shadow of the rocky 
walls. Such a place is called a canon. 

8. There are canons on some part of the course of 
nearly all the larger streams. The Colorado, the largest 
river in all this part of the country, flows in deep 
canons through almost its whole course. 

9. You see that the country west of the Rocky Moun- 



70 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

tains, is not a good land for farmers, for In most of it 
nothing useful can grow ; and as the larger rivers flow 
through deep canons, instead of fertile valleys, there 
are not many good places for cities. You would sup- 
pose people here could find nothing to do, and would 
have nothing to live on. But this is not so. In the 
mountains on the table-land, as well as in the Rocky 
Mountains, there are veins of gold and silver. Thus 
even this part of our country is good for something. 

10. Men go to the mines to dig the gold and silver 
from the earth ; others go to sell food and clothing to 
the miners ; and so, after a time, a large number of 
people gather, and villages or cities spring up where 
we would not have supposed anybody could possibly 
live. These places are not very pleasant to live in. 
Some are far from any railroad ; and most of the food 
for the people must be brought, with great difficulty, 
over this wild, dreary country, in wagons, or on the 
backs of mules traveling in long trains. 



XVIII. -IN CALIFORNIA. 

Cal-i-for'-ni-a. San Fran-cis'-co. Los An'-gel-es. 

ran-che'~ro [-c/ia'-]. vine'-yard [vin'-]. | [Loce An'-hel-ez]. 

l. When we have passed over the great table-land, 
we reach California, a part of our country of which, I 
have no doubt, you have often heard. It has, in the 
central part, the high wall of the Sierra Nevada, with 
peaks reaching up into the clouds and covered with 
snow and ice. 



IN CALIFORNIA. 71 

2. These snowy peaks shut in many narrow valleys, 
the sides of which are not gentle slopes, but steep 
precipices. Into some of them, rivers leap, forming 
waterfalls of immense height. West of this mountain 
border, is a wide and beautiful valley, with clear lakes 
and bright rivers that do not have their waters locked 
with ice in winter ; for it is always warm there. Be- 
yond this valley, is a range of low mountains like the 
Appalachians, and then comes the broad Pacific Ocean. 

3. In the valleys of California are farms with great 
fields of grain, and orchards in which grow the most 
excellent fruits. There are also gardens of grapevines, 
called vineyards, much finer than those on the banks of 
the Ohio River a Many of the things that are raised on 
the farms or in the gardens of the East, grow in Cali- 
fornia much better and larger; besides, in parts of the 
State, are figs and oranges, and many other fruits that 
grow only in warm countries. 

4. In the southern part of the State, there are large 
prairies, covered with tall, rich grass and wild oats, 
where thousands of cattle and horses are raised. Some- 
times one man owns as much as a whole county. His 
land is not called a farm, but a ranch. Nobody, not 
even he himself, knows how many horses and cattle he 
has ; for they run wild on the ranch. There are herds- 
men, called rancheros, who have charge of them, but 
who really give them little attention. 

5. Once a year the cattle are driven together and 
counted, and the young ones are marked so that they 
can be known ; and that is about all the care they re- 
ceive. As snow hardly ever lies on the ground, they 
feed all winter in the fields, upon the ripened oats and 



72 



GEOGRAPHICAL EEADEB. 



the grass which has turned into hay while standing in 

the field. 

6. In the valleys among the mountains of California, 

are forests of wonderful old trees, so large that you can 

hardly imagine how big they are. In several places, 

there are groves 
in which some 
trees are so large 
round that they 
would fill your 
whole school- 
room, and are 
twice as tall as 
the very tallest 
church steeple 
you ever saw. 
Nobody knows 
how long they 
have been grow- 
ing ; but they 
must have been 




The Bottom of One of the Big Trees. 



there many hun- 



dred years before any white people came to this country. 

7. But it was not the farms, nor ranches, nor forests, 
which first interested people in California. It was the 
great quantity of gold found in the mountains in the 
eastern part, which brought people here from every 
part of the world. 

8. One day in the year 1848, when our people 
were just beginning to go there, and we knew hardly 
anything about it, a man who was at work near one 
of the streams flowing from these mountains found 



IN CALIFORNIA. 73 

some grains of gold in the sand which the water had 
washed down. This showed that there must be gold 
in the mountains from which the river came ; and, as 
soon as it was heard of, thousands of people rushed to 
California to get rich. 

9. At first everybody went to the gold fields. There 
were no farms bought and worked by the newcomers, 
no mills built, nor anything done but to dig for gold. 
For this reason, though this State has some of the best 
farming land in the world, and some of the finest forests, 
and can produce almost everything that people need, 
it then furnished them no supplies. The food for all 
those thousands of people, the cloth for their clothing, 
their boots and shoes, the spades and wheelbarrows 
they used in the mines, and even the timbers for their 
houses, all ready to be put together, — were sent there 
from the great cities of the Atlantic Plain, — New York, 
Philadelphia, and Boston. 

10. But people soon found that they could become rich 
just as rapidly by buying farms and raising food for the 
miners, and building mills and making the things that 
were needed, as by working at the mines. Now there 
is much more grain, fruit, lumber, wine, butter, and 
cheese produced in California, than the people need for 
their own use ; and they are able to send these things 
to other countries. 

11. On one part of the seashore, the Pacific sends a 
long arm, like a great river or lake, far into the land. 
This is San Francisco Bay. The entrance from the 
ocean is between high, rocky walls, where the mountain 
range that borders the seashore, has been broken down 
to its foot. This entrance is the Golden Gate. 



74 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

12. Beside this broad, blue, quiet bay, just within the 
Golden Gate, there stood, when the first gold seekers 
went to California, a small, ill-looking village. Most 
of the houses were made of a kind of clay or mud ; the 
streets were narrow and dirty ; and the people looked 
no more attractive than the town. On all this beautiful 
bay, only a few small vessels and a dozen or two fishing 
boats, could be seen. 

13. Now, instead of this mean village, we find a great 
and rich city. Large, fine buildings adorn it ; its 
streets are full of people hurrying to and fro ; and the 
bay is covered with ships from every part of the world. 
This is one thing that has been done for California by 
the discovery of gold. The city which, has grown up 
so quickly is San Francisco. 

14. There are other fine cities now in all parts of the 
wide valley. On the southern coast, is a place where 
the country was so beautiful, and the air so delightful, 
that the people who discovered the site chose it at once 
for their dwelling place, and called the town they founded 
Los Angeles, which means "city of the angels." 

15. The hillsides and valleys about the city are cov- 
ered with vineyards, orange groves, and orchards, from 
which are sent out great quantities of delicious peaches, 
pears, figs, oranges, and grapes. They go not only to 
San Francisco and other parts of California, but even 
to New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. 

16. For a time the Golden Gate was the only way of 
entrance to California, except the long weary journey 
by teams, across the great table-land. But now railroads 
lead from San Francisco, through all the principal cities, 
to every part of the country east of the Mississippi. 



IN THE NORTHWEST. 75 

XIX. -IN THE NORTHWEST. 
Mon-ta'-na [-tqh?-]. \ Hel'-e-na. | Wy o'-ming. 

1. In California we touch the most southwestern 
part of our country, which borders upon the Pacific 
Ocean* The most northwestern part, in which are 
some very remarkable regions, also borders upon the 
Pacific. Washington and Oregon, together with Cali- 
fornia, occupy our entire Pacific coast. 

2. To see this northern belt, we shall start from the 
middle portion of Minnesota, in which are the sources 
of the Mississippi, and travel westward., across the 
broadest part of the Rocky Mountain region. There 
are several lines of railroad by which we may go. 

3. On the west of Minnesota lie two great States, 
North Dakota and South Dakota. The railroad by 
which we travel crosses the former. Here we pass rich, 
rolling prairies, and the ground is occupied by wheat 
farms of vast extent, yielding abundant harvests. 

4. Farther westward the appearance of the country 
changes. The ground is higher, and, instead of wheat 
fields only, we begin to see rich pastures, where herds of 
cattle, sheep, and other animals are feeding. On and 
on we go, crossing the great Missouri River at Bismarck, 
the capital of the State ; and continuing westward, we 
find ourselves at length in Montana. 

5. By and by the surface becomes broken by low 
mountains, and we reach the Yellowstone River. The 
track of the railroad creeps carefully along its course, 
until we find a branch road leading directly southward 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 6 



76 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

into the very heart of the Rocky Mountains, to that 
wonderful region, the Yellowstone Park. This lies 
mostly in Wyoming, the State next south of Montana ; 
but the northern borders are in the latter State. 

6. There, in 1872, a district nearly as large as Con- 
necticut, was set apart by our government, to be a 
National Park, because of its remarkable natural fea- 
tures. There are high mountains, cataracts, deep gorges, 
or canons, through which large streams flow, and hot 
springs and basins called geysers, which now and then 
spout columns of hot water high into the air. 

7. Our railroad still keeps its westward course, but 
presently turns northward, carrying us into the most 
mountainous portion of Montana. This part of the 
State is rich in copper, gold, silver, and other metals ; 
and mining towns and cities have grown up in the 
wildest and roughest parts. Now that railroads have 
been built, connecting these with the more thickly set- 
tled portions, many of the towns are growing rapidly. 
Helena is the capital and largest city of Montana. 

8. From Helena, the road passes on, among high 
mountains, between ranges, and across difficult passes, 
until, when not far from the northern boundary of the 
United States, it descends into a less wild region, and 
crosses Idaho into northern Washington. Idaho thus 
lies next west of the States of Montana and Wyoming, 
and shares in the abundance of valuable metals found 
in the ranges of the Rocky Mountains. 

9. Great numbers of streams, that rise in the high 
ranges of eastern Idaho, pass westward into the lower 
lands, their courses interrupted by rapids and falls, so 
that they are not navigable. At length all unite to 



IN THE NORTHWEST. 77 

form the Columbia River, which, having found a path- 
way down the Cascade Mountains and through the 
Coast Ranges, enters the Pacific Ocean. The course of 
the main stream separates Washington from Oregon. 

10. Idaho and the eastern half of Washington and 
Oregon occupy the northern part of that great interior 
table-land that we crossed in Utah and found so bar- 
ren. But here the great mountain ranges north of the 
Sierra Nevada are less high and are much broken, and 
they allow warm winds, laden with moisture, to sweep 
over them far into the interior. Hence there is abun- 
dance of rain, and the soil is productive. 

11. In northwestern Washington, a wide break 
through the Coast Ranges lets the water of the ocean 
flow into the inner valley, and the lowest lands are cov- 
ered. Thus is formed Puget Sound, full of beautiful 
forest-covered islands. There are many large bays and 
excellent harbors, along which are busy towns and 
cities. In Oregon, instead of bays and harbors, with 
fine sites for cities, the valley is drained by the Willa- 
mette River, and the largest cities are along its course. 
Extensive forests of pine and cedar cover vast areas. 
West of the Cascade Mountains, in particular, is one 
of the richest lumber districts in the United States. 

12. In all this northern belt of States, the largest 
numbers of people are along the lines of railroad, open- 
ing to them the distant markets. The trains carry 
away not only metals, but vast quantities of wheat, 
cattle, and wool ; for here, again, we begin to see vast 
wheat farms and grazing lands, such as we saw in North 
Dakota, but lost sight of when we entered the mining 
districts of Montana. 



78 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



XX. -IN THE COLD COUNTRIES OF THE 
NORTH. 



Do-min'-ion. 



au-ro'-ra. 



rein'-deer. 



1. North of the United States, there is a country 
much colder than ours. It, also, extends from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean : and it stretches north- 
ward to the shores of still another ocean, called the 
Arctic. This country, formerly called British America, 
is now named the Dominion of Canada. 

2. The larger part of this cold region is one great 

forest, reaching nearly to 
the shores of the Arctic 
Ocean. In it are wild 
animals of many differ- 
ent kinds, — the wolf, 
bear, reindeer, moose, 
musk ox, and others. 

3. Almost the only 
people in all this great 
forest are Indians, who 
spend their time in hunt- 
ing and fishing. Here 
and there, by the side of some of the large lakes and 
rivers, are a few white men, who live there in order 
to hunt the wild animals for their furs, or to buy furs 
and skins from the Indian hunters. Some of the furs 
are sold to the people of Canada, but many are sent 
away to other cold countries. In all this forest country, 
during half the year or more, the ground is covered with 
snow and ice, and the rivers and lakes are frozen over. 




sSW&# 



A Reindeer. 



IN THE COLD COUNTRIES OF THE NORTH. 79 




4. Far to the north, the forest becomes thin and the 
trees very small. By and by there are no longer any 
trees. They cannot grow here, not because it is too 
dry, as was the case in the table-land west of the Rocky 
Mountains, but because it is too cold. There are only 
a few low shrubs ; and near the shore of the Arctic 
Ocean, even these all disappear, and nothing grows but 
mosses, and other low plants. 

5. Here the snow is on the ground all the year except 
a month or two ; and 
even then, if you should ^ 
dig into the earth a little 
way, you would find it 
frozen. When the snow 
is gone, the sun warms 
the surface ; and the 
plants quickly spring 
up, blossom, and bear 
their fruits. The rein- 
deer and musk ox come 
from the forest to feed on the fresh mosses ; and for 
a short time, this cold, dreary region seems quite bright. 

6. On the Arctic shores, as you see, the summer lasts 
only about a month. All the rest of the year is winter ; 
and, what will seem strange to you, the winter days 
are very, very short. Just before Christmas, there is 
one day in which the sun does not rise at all, and there 
are two or three weeks in which you hardly see it. It 
is night nearly all the time, but not very dark, for the 
stars are bright ; and the white snow and the large 
moon shining brightly, make the night nearly as light 
as the da}'. These, with the brilliant northern lights, 




A Musk Ox. 



80 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

or aurora, in the sky, make the long winter nights 
much more pleasant than we would suppose. 

7. After a winter night, which lasts as long as from 
noon to-day until noon to-morrow, there is, about twelve 
o'clock, a brightness in the southern horizon, like that 
which we see in the east just before the sun rises. This 
continues only a short time ; but these few minutes of 
dim light are the whole of the shortest winter day. 

8. The next day, about twelve o'clock, the sun peeps 
above the southern horizon for a half hour, and then 
goes away again. The next day he stays a little longer, 
rising earlier, and setting later ; and so on, each day, 
until, in June, there is one day in which he does not set, 
and several days in which he shines nearly all the time, 
hardly disappearing at all. Thus you see, throughout 
the year, there is no more night than day, just as it is 
everywhere. But when the sun is up, it does not give 
much warmth, for it never rises high in the heavens, but 
moves around upon the horizon, toward the north at 
midnight, and toward the south at noon. 

9. You know that the sun rises in the east, goes 
through the southern sky, and sets in the west. We 
see it on only three sides of us. But in the Arctic 
regions, in that longest day in summer, the sun goes 
quite round the heavens, and may be seen on the hori- 
zon directly in the north. Is not that very singular ? 
Many people who live there, I suppose, think that it is 
just the same all over the earth. 

10. A very singular people, called Eskimos, live about 
the Arctic Ocean. Though the country is so cold that 
we should hardly suppose any one could live there, they 
seem to make themselves very comfortable. 



IN THE COLD COUNTRIES OF THE NORTH. 



81 



11. Their clothing is made from the skins of wild 
animals, especially from that of the reindeer. They 
prepare it with the hair on, and make a sort of dress all 
in one piece, — cap, shirt, trousers, and shoes. Their 
chief food is fish and the flesh of the reindeer, and of 
the seal, walrus, and whale, which inhabit the icy seas. 

12. The reindeer 
stays here only dur- 
ing the short summer, 
while it can obtain 
food ; so the people 
must kill enough then 
to last them all the 
year. The women 
cut up the meat, and 
dry it, and in this way 
keep it for the long- 
winter. They also 
catch and dry the fish. 

13. Through the 
winter, the Eskimos 
live in log huts, which 
they build from the 
trunks of trees that 

have floated down the long rivers from the forests. 
They pile up snow around and over the hut, and make 
a hole in one side, at the bottom, through which they 
creep in and out. Here they stay from the time when 
the leaves of our trees begin to fall, until they are 
green again in spring. Then all quit their winter 
quarters, and go to the islands along the coast to watch 
for the seal. There they build houses of snow. 




Eskimo Girl. 



82 GEOGBAPHICAL HEADER. 

14. The Arctic Ocean is full of ice in summer as well 
as in winter. The wind drives it from one place to 
another, and sometimes great masses, called icebergs, 
strike against ships and dash them to pieces. 



■ h 



An Iceberg'. 



XXI. -IN THE WARM COUNTRIES OF THE 
SOUTH. 

West In'-dies. | Mon-te-zu'-ma [-zoo'-]. | dah'-lia [tlah '-lya\. 

1. South of the United States are the warm coun- 
tries of Mexico and Central America, and some great 
islands, called the West Indies, which lie in the adjacent 
ocean. There the whole year is one constant summer. 

2. In crossing Mexico from east to west, there is first 
a broad plain by the seaside, covered with immense 
forests. Here grows the tall, beautiful cocoa palm, 
straight as an arrow, and covered with a crown of long 



IN THE WARM COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH. 83 

green, feathery leaves, under which are the large clus- 
ters of fruit. The mahogany, from the wood of which 
furniture is made, and the banana and other plants 
yielding delicious fruits, are also found here. 

3. By and by we begin to ascend a slope, many parts 
of which are so steep and rugged that the roads are 
very narrow, crooked, and often dangerous. Here, too, 
are fine forests, also plantations of cotton, coffee, and 
tobacco. Lovely roses, dahlias, and many other plants 
grow here in the fields and forests. 

4. At length we find ourselves on the top of a moun- 
tain range, which Ave cross and descend into a basin, or 
plain, surrounded by mountains. This inclosed plain is 
the table-land of Mexico. In the midst of it, is a beauti- 
ful lake, beside which is the famous old city of Mexico. 

5. When the white people first came to America, 
over four hundred years ago, they found the lake much 
larger than it now is, and the city on a cluster of islands 
in the midst of the lake. A powerful king, named 
Montezuma, lived here with his people, who were called 
Aztecs. The city was full of their palaces and temples, 
many of which were ornamented with figures and ves- 
sels of silver and gold, and with wonderful carvings 
and paintings. 

6. They had lived for three hundred years in this 
basin, with its high mountains on all sides, shutting 
them in away from the warlike Indians beyond, who 
never thought of doing anything but to hunt and fight. 
They were thus able to go on in peace, building their 
palaces, temples, bridges, and other great works, some 
of which were very remarkable. But what seemed 
most wonderful to the white strangers, was the great 



84 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

number of articles of silver and gold in the temples 
and palaces. These they wanted; and they wished 
also to know where the silver and gold were obtained, 
so that they might get them for themselves. As the 
king would not tell them this, they took him prisoner, 
and afterward made war on the city, and treated his 
people very cruelly. 

7. In the war, the city was nearly destroyed; but 
it was soon rebuilt by the conquerors. They finally 
found the mines which had been worked by the natives ; 
and soon great numbers of white people came there to 
live; But they cared more for the gold and silver than 
for anything else in Mexico. 

8. Central America, which is farther south, resembles 
Mexico very much, except that it is even warmer. It 
has more rain too ; and the choice trees, fruits, and 
flowers of that country grow still more luxuriantly 
here. 

9. In both Mexico and Central America, there are 
mountains like chimneys, through which melted rock, 
cinders, and vapor come out from the interior of the 
earth. These mountains are called volcanoes. Some- 
times there come out from volcanoes such great quan- 
tities of cinders, that cities and villages near them are 
buried. Sometimes, also, red-hot streams of melted 
rock, called lava, flow down the mountain side, burning 
up everything in their way. 

10. At times, noises like thunder are heard within 
the earth; and the solid land trembles, so that the 
houses are shaken like boats on the sea, and come 
tumbling down over the heads of the frightened people. 
This trembling of the earth is called an earthquake. 



IN THE WARM COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH. 85 



Earthquakes not only happen in Mexico and Central 
America, but also in other countries. Sometimes the}* 
shake down whole cities, and open great chasms in the 
earth, swallowing up both animals and people. 

11. We find that the United States is in the middle 
of a very great body of land, the northern part of which 
is frozen through- 
out the year ; while 
the southern part 
has, all the year 
long, one constant 
summer. This vast 
body of land is 
called a continent. 
and the name of it 
is North America. 
Our country, though 
so very large, is 
much less than one 
half of it. 

12. There are five 
other continents 
upon the earth, two 
of which are much 
larger than Xorth 
America. Yet we 
know that there is about three times as much water 
as land on the earth's surface. What a great earth it 
is on which we live, and how many beautiful things we 
have already seen in it ! We shall find many more 
when we go to the other continents, as we shall do by 
and by. 




A Volcano. 



86 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

XXII. -THE WEST INDIES. 
Ha-van'-a. | ve-ran'-da. | "ba-na'-na [-ah'-nah]. 

1. These islands lie in the ocean, east of the Gulf of 
Mexico. Four of them are much larger than the others. 
They are covered with rugged mountains, among which 
are broad green valleys where not a flake of snow ever 
falls, nor a particle of ice is formed. 

2. The forests are filled with large trees, that bear 
fresh green leaves, flowers, and fruits throughout the 
year, as in the lowlands of Mexico and Central Amer- 
ica. The earth beneath the trees is covered with beau- 
tiful feathery ferns, lovely flowers, and many singular 
plants. 

3. Suppose you are traveling in the forests, and 
become thirsty. You look about for a spring or brook 
of cool, pure water, from which to drink. You may 
not find any, because sometimes no rain falls for several 
months, and the springs and brooks become quite dry. 

4. Here beside you, climbing from tree to tree, is a 
vine that looks as much like a dead grapevine as any- 
thing can. As high up as you can reach, you cut a 
notch in a branch of it, and lower down you cut the 
branch entirely off. Putting the end to your mouth, 
you suck upon it, and find that it gives you a small 
stream of delicious cool water, which it has drawn up 
from the earth, and stored away to feed the plant in 
this dry time. There are many other plants that thus 
provide water for themselves. What a happy thing to 
find such plants in this warm, and sometimes very dry, 
country! 



THE WEST INDIES. 



87 



5. In all the large islands, especially in Cuba, are 
great plantations of sugar cane, coffee, and tobacco. 
The city of Havana, on the northern coast of this 
island, is the greatest sugar market in the world. 




A Sugar Flantation. 

6. The sugar plantations are everywhere much alike. 
In some pleasant part the owner lives in a large, low 
house, with broad verandas on every side, and palm 
trees shading it. Around it grow clusters of orange 
trees, bananas, and other fruit-bearing plants. 



88 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

7. Not far away is the great sugar mill, in which the 
cane is crushed, and its juice pressed out and made 
into sugar and molasses. Near by it stands a large 
cluster of little cabins. Each has a banana plant and 
a small garden beside it ; and groups of naked negro 
children are seen rolling about in the dust, or lying 
asleep in the sunshine. These are the houses of the 
negroes, who do all the work of raising the cane, and 
making the sugar. 

8. On every side of this little village the vast cane 
field extends, so that you might ride for miles and still 
find it everywhere the same. You would pass none of 
the small, neat farmhouses you are accustomed to see; 
but after a time would find another plantation just 
like the last, with its great house, its mill, and its little 
cabins clustered together in the midst of the cane fields. 

9. The white people on all these islands do but little 
work. They usually stay in their houses through the 
warmest part of the day; and when the sun goes down 
they go out to ride, make visits, and amuse themselves 
as they choose. 



■■ 


"l. Em- . \ 


IHii 


... Ja 


■Shi 


"""" 



' SOUTH AMERICA. 

I. -UP THE AMAZON. 
Pa-na-ma' [-mah'] . | Ma-ra-jo' [-zho']. | Pa-ra' [Pah-rah']. 

1. Southward from North America is South Amer- 
ica. Like North America, it lies between the Atlantic 
Ocean and the Pacific. These two continents are con- 
nected by a narrow neck of land, named the Isthmus of 
Panama. 

2. In the northern part of South America is an im- 
mense river, the largest in the world. Its source is in 
the far western part of the continent, near the Pacific 
Ocean. It flows eastward more than three thousand 
miles, through a vast, low plain, into the Atlantic. 
This is the Amazon River. 

3. The mouth of the Amazon is so broad as to seem 
like a large lake ; and its great mass of muddy, yellow 
water can be seen for many miles at sea, making its 
way through the clear blue ocean. Just at the mouth 
of the river is the large island of Marajo, dividing the 
stream into two branches, — one more than twenty miles 
wide, the other more than fifty. This island is covered 
with pastures and plantations, from which are sent 
cattle, rice, sugar, and fruits. On the banks of the 
Amazon, south of Mara jo, is the city of Para. 

89 



90 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



4. Like New Orleans, it is built on the marshy plains 
that border the river, and is surrounded by rice fields 
and sugar plantations. It is now only a small place, 
but some day it will undoubtedly become a large 

and busy city; for 
steamers can go 
from Para up the 
Amazon and its 
great tributaries 
to all parts of the 
interior of South 
America, just as 
they go from New 
Orleans up the 
Mississippi to the 




interior of our 
own country. 

5. After hav- 
ing traveled by 
steamer up the 
Amazon, from 
Para, for a day or 
two, all the plan- 
tations disappear, 
and we see along 
the river only im- 
mense marshes. 
They are covered 
with a thick growth of reeds, often much higher than 
a common house. Here and there are open spaces, 
where the water is covered with large, round green 
leaves, that, with their brown edges turning upward, 



On the Amazon. 



UP THE AMAZON. 91 

look like flatboats. Some of them are as many as six 
feet across ; and, if you were placed in the middle of 
one, yon would find it quite strong enough to support 
you on the water. 

6. These are the leaves of the beautiful Victoria Regia, 
a very large kind of water lily. Floating on the water, 
among these great leaves, are flowers larger than a com- 
mon dinner plate. The inner petals are of a pretty 
rose color, and in the center is a circle of bright gold ; 
while the rest of the floAver is snowy white. You can 




Victoria Regia. 

hardly imagine one more beautiful. These, and the 
many other plants growing there, make the marshes of 
the Amazon very wonderful to see. 

'7. But among all these pleasant things, there are 
others which you will not like so well. Great scaly 
alligators lie asleep in the sunshine, with their ugly red 
mouths wide open, or float like logs on the surface of 
the water; immense water snakes glide about among 
the reeds ; large frogs and turtles and lizards are to 
be seen at every moment ; and the air is filled with the 
hum of brilliant insects whose sting is poisonous. 

8. Here and there long-legged swamp birds wade 
about, darting their long beaks into the water after 
the frogs and snakes, which they devour ; while whole 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. — 7 



92 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



flocks, which have finished their fishing, stand asleep on 
the shore. The noonday sun, directly over our heads, 
pours down his burning rays, and almost blinds us by 
the dazzling light that is reflected from the water. 

9. All the morning the whole sky has been perfectly 
clear and of the brightest blue. Now banks of white 
clouds are piled up here and there. They grow thick 
and dark, and rapidly become larger; and soon the 
whole sky is black. The lightning darts in blinding 




flashes from one side of the heavens to the other. Ter- 
rible peals of thunder shake the earth, and the rain 
begins to fall in torrents. This continues until near 
night; then the thunder, lightning, and rain cease, 
the clouds disappear, and all night the heavens are 
bright with stars. 

10. Every day for several weeks is just the same ; 
only that each day the rain commences a little earlier, 
and ceases later, than the day before, until at length it 
rains all day. Then it begins later and later each day, 
and ceases earlier ; and at last there comes a time during 



IN THE SILVAS. 93 

which, for a number of months, no rain falls. The part 
of the year in which it rains thus each clay is called the 
wet season ; the other part, the dry season. They are 
nearly alike in heat, for the larger part of South America 
has no winter. 



II. -IN THE SILVAS. 



sil'-va. I ja-guar'. Ei'-o [li - de Ja-ne-i'-ro [-na'-]. 

bo'-a con-stric'-tor. | Brazil'. va-nil'-la. 

1. Beyond the marshes which border the stream on 
each side, are immense forests, stretching away hun- 
dreds of miles. The trees are not only of great size, 
but they stand so close together that their branches 
are interlocked and form a dense roof of green, through 
which the sunbeams can hardly reach the earth. 

2. The whole space between the trees, and beneath 
their branches, is one mass of reeds and other tall plants. 
Thousands of vines climb about them, stretching from 
tree to tree and hanging down from the branches, thus 
binding all so firmly together that, in some places, not 
even a footpath can be made through the forests with- 
out an ax to cut the way. 

3. The low plants, the vines, and even many of the 
great trees, are covered with the most beautiful flowers, 
not only white, but crimson, purple, scarlet, and golden 
yellow. As there is no winter, the trees are at all times 
growing, blooming, and bearing fruit. On some kinds, 
buds, flowers, green fruit, and ripened fruit may be 
found all at the same time. 

4. Living among the branches of the trees, are miilti- 



94 



GEOGBAPHICAL READER. 



tudes of birds, of such brilliant colors that they seem 
like winged flowers. Numberless monkeys of every 

description, some of 
which are not larger 
than a kitten, chase 
each other from tree 
to tree, swinging by 
their long tails from 
one branch to an- 
other. Great snakes, 
called boa constrict- 
ors, some of them 
eight or ten yards 
in length, hang from the trees, 
watching for some animal to 
come within their reach, when 
they quickly wind themselves 
round him, and crush him. 

5. Still another terrible crea- 
ture, called the jaguar, makes 
his home in the forests. The 
young ones look like kittens, 
and, playing about the trees, are 
very pretty and harmless ; but 
when grown large they are fierce 
and dangerous. Thousands of 
animals of many other kinds fill 
this great forest, through which 
the rivers are almost the only 
paths, and where few people 
but Indians and adventurous 
spider Monkeys. travelers have ever been. 




IN THE SILVAS. 95 

6. Although there are such vast numbers of birds 
and animals here, the forests, all through the long, 
warm days, are perfectly silent. There is not a sound 
of bird or beast ; but as soon as the night comes on 
their voices are everywhere heard. The roaring of the 
fierce and angry jaguar, the screaming of the frightened 
monkeys trying to escape, the chattering of the parrots 
and other birds which have been wakened by the noise, 
make a sort of music that is not very charming, and 
which, I think, would hardly lull one to sleep. 

7. Travelers who may be obliged to spend the night 
in the forests must build fires all about them to keep 
away the jaguars and other dangerous animals. They 
are afraid of the flame, and will not approach it. But 
for this, it would not be safe for any one to go to sleep 
in the forests. These broad plains, through which the 
Amazon and its tributaries flow, are called silvas, which 
means forest plains. 

8. We steam up the Amazon, day after day, for more 
than a month, and still we find a wide level plain cov- 
ered with the same forests. Were we to leave the main 
stream and go up any one of its many large tributaries, 
we should find no change ; for the silvas cover more 
than half the continent of South America. The great 
variety of trees mingled together in the same forest, 
with no one kind especially noticeable, seems surprising 
to us, because in our country we often see vast forests 
of only a single kind, as pine, birch, or maple. Many of 
the large trees bear bright flowers. 

9. Far away to the west the country through which 
the Amazon flows becomes hilly ; and at length the 
river, now much smaller, descends, in man} r rapids and 



96 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



waterfalls, from a mountainous region. The forests 
begin to be broken, and plantations and villages again 
appear. Here we must leave the river, as steamers can 
go no farther. 

10. The silvas form a large part of a great country 
named Brazil, which is nearly as large as all the other 
countries of South America. But the southeastern 

part is a table-land, with 
low mountains crossing it 
in every direction. In 
these mountains, and 
among the pebbles of the 
streams that flow from 
them, gold and diamonds 
are found. 

11. In the southeastern 
part of Brazil are many 
coffee plantations, orange 
groves, and gardens of 
bananas and pineapples. 
These, with cotton, to- 
bacco, rice, and other 
things which grow in the 
warm parts of our own 
country, may be raised in 
all the rich valleys. There 
is also growing here a vine that bears a fruit like a bean, 
from which a delicious perfume is obtained. This is 
the vanilla. Many of you have seen either the vanilla 
bean, or an extract made from it. 

12. But there are not yet half enough white people 
in Brazil to cultivate all its rich land. Almost the 




Picking Coffee- 



ACROSS THE ANDES. 97 

only inhabitants of the interior are Indians, who live 
upon the fruits of the forest. With them are mission- 
aries who are trying to teach them. 

13. On the coast is the large city of Rio de Janeiro. 
Its streets are shaded by palms and other beautiful 
trees. In some places the handsome buildings, of 
which there are many, are almost hidden by the green 
leaves. The air, too, is always delightful, much like 
that of Los Angeles, in California. 

14. The city is built by the side of a broad blue bay, 
dotted with lovely islands ; and behind it rise green 
hills, and high, forest-covered 'mountains. These hills 
are topped with pleasant country houses half hidden 
by trees ; and the rich valleys between them are cov- 
ered with fields of coffee, cotton, sugar, and delicious 
pineapples. Rio de Janeiro and Santos (another city of 
Brazil) are the greatest coffee markets in the world. 



III. -ACROSS THE ANDES. 
An'-des. | lla'-ma [lah'-ma]. | ca ca'-o [ka]. 

1. The mountains from which the Amazon flows, 
and at the foot of which the steamers stop, are the 
Andes. They are very high, and form a continuous 
elevation along the western coast, from the northern 
point of South America to the southern. Nowhere can 
we go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific without 
crossing the Andes. 

2. We left the Amazon just at the foot of the moun- 
tains. We shall continue our journey on the back of 



98 



GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 



a mule, for there are no good roads over the Andes. 
Their slopes are so rough and broken, that it is very 
difficult and dangerous to travel across them. Some- 
times the way lies along the edge of a precipice, where 
the path is only wide enough for the mule to walk. A 




Among the Andes. 

single wrong step would throw us down hundreds of 
feet, and we should be dashed in pieces. 

3. In other places, we pass through deep gorges, with 
perpendicular rocks on each side, rising far above; and 
we are continually in danger of being crushed by fall- 
ing pieces. Foaming mountain streams at the bottom 
of deep ravines must be crossed, not on solid stone 
bridges, but on slender, swinging cords, covered only 
with branches of trees, ready to break at any moment, 
and plunge us into the. terrible chasm below. Across 



ACROSS THE ANDES. 99 

some of the least difficult passes, lines of railroad have 
of late been constructed, so that the towns in the high 
valleys can have much more intercourse with the low 
lands than used to be possible. 

4. On the lower parts of the slope, are dense forests, 
like those of the silvas, with the same kinds of trees 
and animals. Farther up the* mountain we find no more 
tall palm trees, nor trees covered with brilliant flowers ; 
but instead, beautiful maples, oaks, and elms, such as 
we see in our own country. 

5. At the foot of the Andes the whole year is one 
long, warm summer. Higher up, it is like constant 
spring. The sunny blue sky is always smiling ; and the 
pleasant valleys among" the mountains are filled with 
grainfields, green pastures, and pretty villages. 

6. Still higher we reach a cold country, with but a 
few stunted trees, somewhat like those growing near the 
Arctic shores of North America. Now we are at the 
top of the great wall of the Andes ; and here, spread 
out before us, is a bare, rocky plain, cold, gray, and 
very dreary. Only a few dwarfed shrubs, grasses, and 
other poor, starved-looking plants, cover the earth. 
Away in the distance, against the dark -blue sky, rising 
far above us, are cone-shaped peaks, covered nearly from 
top to bottom with mantles of snow, and shining in the 
sunlight like silver mountains. Many of these are vol- 
canic, and they are all very high. 

7. Here and there, all over this dreary plain, are little 
villages, with herds of llamas feeding on the scanty pas- 
tures. The llamas are natives of these cold heights, 
and were once found wild in great numbers. They 
have been tamed, and are now used by the people of 



100 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

the Andes to carry goods up and down the dangerous 
slopes. They are very useful; because, though quite 
small and slow, they are gentle. They are also per- 
fectly sure-footed, never stumbling nor slipping on the 
most difficult mountain paths, where hardly any other 
animal can travel. 

8. After we have crossed the summit of this great 
range, we descend into a beautiful, high valley, beyond 
which is another range, as high and as rugged as the 
first one. In this valley, with the high mountain walls 
and the snowy volcanoes shutting it in on every side, 
we find again constant spring. The earth is adorned 
with forests, grainfielcis, orchards, and gardens, in the 
midst of which are bright rivers, blue lakes, villages, 
and great cities. 

9. Here, long ago, lived a people resembling those 
who built cities on the table-land of Mexico. All the 
inner valleys of the Andes were full of their cities and 
temples, rich in gold and silver ; while broad, fine roads 
led from one valley to another. These cities, like those 
of Mexico, were finally found by the white men. The 
people were conquered, and their noble works destroyed 
by the conquerors, who cared only for their gold and 
silver. Finally the mines were discovered, and the 
cities were rebuilt by the new inhabitants. 

10. Among the trees of these valleys, is a beautiful one 
called the cacao. It is somewhat like the cherry tree in 
size and form, and bears a fruit containing a number of 
oily kernels. From these kernels is prepared the deli- 
cious chocolate, so much used upon our tables. 

11. Another tree, very precious to the people, grows 
in some of the warmest of the valleys. It is the cow 



ACEOSS THE ANDES. 



101 



tree. When the bark is cut, there flows out from it an 
abundant juice, white and a little gummy, with a very 
pleasant taste and smell. It flows most freely about 
sunrise. Then you may see Indians and negroes com- 
ing from all directions to the trees, with large vases or 
jugs which they fill with this sort of milk. They are 
very fond of it, and it makes a good food. 

12. The highest of the inner valleys are cold and 
dreary, like the plains 
on the summit of the 
range ; but even some 
of these have mining 
cities, and the food for 
the thousands of people 
who live and work there 
is nearly all brought by 
the llamas from the 
warm, fruitful valleys 
below. 

13. Here and there, 
perched on the high- 
est rocks, is the condor, the largest bird that flies. It 
is often very troublesome to the people of the high 
valleys, flying away with their lambs and kids, and 
sometimes even their little children. 

14. The second range is just as difficult to cross as 
the first one. Descending it to the foot of the moun- 
tains, we reach a region where there is little rain, and 
where, although it is warm, there is little vegetation. 
And now we come at once to the shore of the great 
Pacific ; for the Andes lie close along the western bor- 
der of the continent. 




A Condor. 



102 GEOGRAPHICAL READER.. 

IV. -ON THE LLANOS, 
lla'-nos [lah 1 -]. | las'-so. | O-ri-no'-co. 

1. North of the Amazon is another great river, also 
flowing from a mountain country through a vast plain, 
northeastward, into the Atlantic. This is the Orinoco. 
The plains of the Orinoco, like those of the Amazon, 
are quite level. Nowhere can a hill of any size be seen, 
but here and there a sort of table of naked rock rises 
up above the level surface of the ground. 

2. Along the banks of the river, and on the rocky 
islands in the midst of it, are dense forests, like those 
which border the Amazon ; but elsewhere, all over the 
great plain, not a tree can be seen. These treeless 
plains are called llanos, meaning open plains. 

3. Through the llanos, at the end of the dry season, 
the river winds between low, flat banks, everywhere 
fringed with narrow bands of green forests or grasses. 
All the vast plain beside is dead and desolate. The 
earth is black and dry ; and the hot sun pours down 
upon it, without even a cloud between to shield it from 
the burning rays. 

4. Now the rains begin. Torrents of water fall ; and 
in a few days the river fills up, and overflows its banks. 
Grass and flowers spring up all over the plains ; and in 
a short time the wide llanos are carpeted with green, 
dotted with gold, crimson, purple, and every brilliant 
color. 

5. Herds of wild horses and cattle pasture upon the 
rich grass, which is soon tall enough to hide them from 



ON THE LLANOS. 



103 



view ; or dash over the plains, pursued by swift riders, 
who catch them with a long rope fastened firmly to the 
saddle. This rope is called a lasso. It is wound into 
a ring, or coil, and held in the right hand ; and, when 
the rider is near enough to the animal he wishes to 
catch, he throws it with all his might. He is so skill- 




Lassoing Cattle. 

ful, that, as the coil unwinds, a noose at its end is sure 
to fall around the horns or head of the animal, so that 
it cannot escape. Now the horse holds himself firmly 
braced, and lets the poor beast pull at the lasso until 
it is tired out, when it is drawn up and secured. 

6. The air is filled with insects ; and the moist earth 
swarms with snakes, lizards, frogs, and turtles. Great 



104 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

alligators watch by the river side for the animals that 
come down to drink ; and the jagnar, from the forest, 
comes here to prey upon the herds which feed on these 
rich pastures. 

7. By and by the rainy season is over, and the sun 
pours down again its burning heat. After a few weeks, 
the river shrinks away to its former size, all the little 
pools and streams that were formed over the plain are 
gone. At length the earth is dry and hard, and cracked 
in every direction ; and the beautiful green grass has 
become yellow and dried everywhere, except close along 
the borders of the river. The dry, hot wind raises 
thick clouds of dust, and makes the air seem warmer 
instead of cooler. The red, dazzling sunlight nearly 
blinds you, and the heat makes you weak and sick. 

8. Now you do not see any frogs or snakes ; for they 
know when the dry season is coming, and bury them- 
selves in the earth, to sleep until it is past, just as they 
do in our country during the winter. They do not like 
the very dry, hot weather any better than they do the 
cold. The swarms of insects are all dead ; and the 
horses and the cattle are driven away to pastures near 
the mountains, for they would die without water. The 
whole plain is deserted and silent. 

9. The herdsmen set fire to the dried grass in order 
to clear the ground for a new growth. Now the whole 
great plain, for hundreds of miles, is swept by the 
flames, everything is destroyed, and the earth is left 
black and bare, as we first saw it. This is one reason 
why no trees grow here. Every little one which may 
start during the wet season from seed scattered over the 
ground is killed by the drought and the fires each year. 



UP TEE LA PLATA. 105 



V.— UP THE LA PLATA. 

La Pla'-ta. Pa-ra-na'. Gau'-cho. 

[Lah Plah'-tah]. [Pah-mh-nah']. [Gow'-cho]. 

pam'-pas. Gran Cha'-co [Chah'-]. gal'-lop-ing [-lup-]. 

1. South of the Amazon is still another large river. 
Like the Mississippi, it gathers its waters from the 
mountain lands east and west of it, and flows southward 
through a great plain. Near the mouth it is called the 
La Plata ; but the long stream above is named the 
Parana. 

2. The plains of the La Plata, called pampas, are not 
like those of the Mississippi, nor like the silvas or the 
llanos. There are no great forests, nor rich prairies ; 
but. instead, the ground is covered during- the wet sea- 
son with coarse grass growing two or three yards high, 
mixed with clove r and thistles even higher. They are 
so large that they seem like young trees, more than like 
the plants of the same kind which we are accustomed 
to see. 

3. In some places, are great forests of these tall, 
strong thistles, so dense that it is impossible to pass 
through them, except by the paths made by the herds ' 
of wild horses and cattle that feed upon the pampas. 
It is very dangerous to travel through these thickets ; 
for robbers hide themselves beside the paths, and kill 
and rob those who come within their reach. For this 
reason there is little traveling across the pampas, ex- 
cept during the dry season, when the thistles are dead 
and burned, like the grasses of the llanos. 



106 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

4. The inhabitants of the pampas are either Indians 
or a race of half-breeds, called Gauchos. The Gauchos 
are a half -wild people, spending almost their whole time 
on horseback, and riding the swiftest and wildest horses 
easily and safely. They sleep upon the ground, and 
are very proud of their wild, free life. 



■ r :'. 




■£~*i- :-:" -l2rU 



Pampas. 

5. There were not always wild horses and cattle on 
the llanos and pampas. These plains were once covered 
with native animals, as the silvas now are. The white 
people brought the first horses and cattle from Europe ; 
and these have increased in numbers so fast as to drive 
away nearly all the native animals. 

6. Farther up the river, the pampas disappear ; and 



UP THE LA PLATA. 107 

the plains through which the Parana flows are rich 
prairies, with timber along the streams. Here and there 
over the prairies, are low round hills covered with trees, 
looking like islands in the great sea of grass. 

7. Toward the sources of the river, the woodlands 
increase, and there is only here and there a little, bright 
prairie smiling among their darker green. This is the 
Ghran Ghaco, or great hunting ground of the Indians; 
and they can be seen on their fleet horses, galloping 
over the prairies, gathering themselves together on the 
banks of the river, ready for the chase. 

8. The ground here is so very level that there is 
scarcely a division between the tributaries of one great 
stream and those of another. In time of high water, it 
is possible to go by boat, across overflowed lands, from 
one to another. Thus, one may enter the La Plata, 
pass up the Parana and other tributaries northward, 
and cross over to the Madeira, the great tributary of 
the Amazon from the south. Near the mouth of the 
Madeira, a large tributary from the north enters the 
Amazon. By means of this, one can reach the Orinoco, 
and so descend to the ocean, crossing, by means of rivers, 
more than half the length of South America from south 
to north. 

9. Some day we may see these streams bordered with 
cities, and covered with swift steamers bearing away 
the cotton, the coffee, and the sugar, which will then be 
growing where now are only forests and wild prairies. 
You know that it is not a great while since the cotton 
plantations and grain farms along the Mississippi were 
wild forests and prairies, with the Indians for their only 
inhabitants. 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 8 



THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. 

LIFE ON AND IN THE OCEAN. 
New'- found-land. | con'-ti-nent. | har-poon'. 

1. East of North and South America, you remember, 
is the Atlantic Ocean. Beyond the ocean, are two other 
continents, — Europe, which is opposite us ; and Africa, 
opposite Mexico and South America. At the north, the 
Atlantic joins the frozen ocean called the Arctic Ocean, 
on the shores of which the Eskimos live; and at the 
south it joins another frozen ocean called the Antarctic 
Ocean. You see that those parts of it must be very 
cold ; but the middle is warm, like the lands beside it. 

2. In every part of this ocean, are ships going to 
and fro between the continents that border it, carrying 
goods and people from one country to another. Great 
steamers, also, built on purpose to carry passengers, are 
constantly plying between our large seaports, like New 
York and Boston, and the ports of Europe. They go 
as fast as possible all the time, — day and night ; but 
the ocean is so very broad, that they are six to ten days 
in crossing it. 

3. Before people began to build steamers, it took 
much longer to cross the Atlantic. The ships go 
scarcely half as fast as the steamers ; and if there is 

108 



LIFE ON AND IN THE OCEAN. 



109 



bad weather, they may be hindered so as to take a 
month or more for the voyage. In a calm, the great 
ships drift lazily, with their broad, drooping sails bathed 
in sunlight ; but the steamers dash along at their usual 
rate, pouring into the air clouds of smoke, and raising 
a great foam and flurry along their path. Almost every 
new steamer that is put on, crosses the ocean in less 




An Ocean Steamer leaving Port. 



time than any before it ; and travelers are becoming 
less and less anxious about the ocean trip. 

4. Sometimes both ships and steamers set out with 
everything fair, and are never heard of afterward. 
Some take fire and are burned in mid ocean; others 
spring a leak and sink. Others still are driven by 
storms far out of their course, and injured so that 
they cannot get back ; and finally they sink. 



110 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

5. In crossing the Atlantic, we are for many days 
far from the sight of any land. All aronnd us, is the 
great world of water, stretching away to the horizon, 
with perhaps not even a ship in view. The sun seems 
to come up out of the sea in the morning, and to sink 
into it at night. You would almost believe the ocean 
to be the whole world, and the people in the ship the 
only ones on its surface. 

6. But the sea is full of life. In some places, are 
miles and miles of seaweed growing on the top of the 
water; in others, are immense schools of dolphins swim- 
ming for days beside the ship, sometimes darting almost 
out of the water, and making graceful curving lines at 
every motion. Timid little flying fish leap out into the 
air when they want to escape an enemy. Great flocks 
of sea birds sail about on the wing, or dive into the 
sea after fish, or float on the surface to rest. 

7. But the most wonderful thing to see is the ocean 
itself, on a quiet night. Sometimes the ship leaves a 
path of light behind it, on the broad dark waters ; and 
every little creature that plays on the surface is sur- 
rounded by a circle of light, making the ocean very 
brilliant. You see there are many things that even 
children can learn about the great ocean; but there 
are very many other things for you to learn by and by. 

8. Besides the ships that transport passengers and 
goods, there are others which take men away to the 
cold parts of the ocean, to catch the whale. When a 
whale is seen, some of the sailors get into a small, 
strong boat, and row toward it. Fastened to the boat, 
are long, stout ropes, with sharp spears, called harpoons, 
attached to the ends. When the boat has come near 



LIFE ON AND IN THE OCEAN. 



Ill 



enough, the master stands up, and throws a harpoon 
with all his force, and fixes it in the body of the whale. 
9. He plunges down deep into the water, and the 
boatmen let the rope out longer and longer, so that the 
boat will not be drawn down too. They know he can- 




Whale Fishing. 



not stay under long, for he must come to the top to 
breathe. The master has other harpoons ready to 
strike him again when he comes up, until he is killed. 
But sometimes the angry whale strikes the boat, and 



112 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



breaks it to pieces; and then, without help, all the 
sailors might be drowned. 

10. The body of the whale is now brought alongside 
the vessel, and fastened to it, so that it cannot float 
away. The men stand on the back, and cut off the fat, 
which is boiled in great kettles in order to get the oil. 
This is put into barrels to be carried home. The ship 
stays in the whale fields until it obtains a full cargo of 
oil, so the sailors are sometimes gone for three years. 

11. There are vessels engaged in other kinds of fish- 
ery, in parts of the Atlantic. Opposite the mouth of 
the St. Lawrence, is a large island, called Newfoundland. 
Around this island, the sea is thronged with excellent 
fish ; and hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of ves- 
sels, are occupied there during the season for fishing. 
The waters all along the coasts abound in excellent 
fish, and great numbers of little fishing vessels are 
flitting here and there in pursuit of them. 




EUROPE. 

I. -ENGLAND. -THE COUNTRY. 
Eng'-land [Ing'-lcuid]. \ Ire'-land. | Scot'-land. 

1. Near the coast of Europe, in the Atlantic Ocean, 
are two great islands, named Great Britain and Ireland. 
Great Britain was once divided into three separate 
countries, — England, Scotland, and Wales. They are 
now all united in one, though people still use these 
names for the different parts of the island. 

2. England is a lovely country. There you will find 
the pretty, neat farms separated by hedges instead of 
fences. There are hedges, too, skirting the roadsides 
and lanes ; and the fields are fresh and green, as though 
the whole country were a carefully tended garden. 
Here and there, is a great house or castle, very large, 
old, and strong, though not always very attractive. 
In it live the rich people who own all the land for 
several miles around it. Their fathers and grand- 
fathers have lived there before them, not quite ever 
since the world began, but for a very, very long time, 
and, therefore, they are fond and proud of their great 
old castles. 

3. Around the castle, are beautiful parks, with fine 
large trees shading them, — elms and oaks and beeches, 

113 



114 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



so old that nobody can tell when they were planted ; 
and the grass is so thick and soft that your feet are 
almost buried in it while walking. In the parks, are 
pretty gray deer, with timid little fawns keeping close 
beside their mothers, and almost afraid to be looked 
at. There are, also, rabbits, hares, partridges, and 




Windsor Castle. 

many other kinds of animals and birds, which make 
the parks pleasant. 

4. Near the castle, is often a village of neat white 
cottages, with its church, its schoolhouse, and its shops. 
Around the village, are fields of golden wheat waving 
in the summer sunshine, and green pastures full of 
sheep and cows, quietly cropping the grass or dozing 



ENGLAND. — THE COUNTRY. 115 

in the shade. There are meadows, too, where the farm- 
ers are piling the fragrant new-mown hay on the great 
carts ; while boys and girls follow the load with their 
rakes to gather up every bit that falls. 

5. Haymaking and harvest are merry times in Eng- 
land for both young and old ; but I think you would 
like the spring best, when the hedges are white with 
flowers, when the orchards are rosy, and there are so 
many little singing birds that you almost believe every 
blossom has a voice. 

6. There are such green fields, neat hedges, old cas- 
tles, and pretty villages, all over England ; but there 
are many people in England who never see any of 
them, — many children who never see the lambs skip 
in the pastures, never hear the birds sing, never rake 
hay in the meadows, nor gather flowers from the hedges 
and the pastures in springtime. 

7. There are mountains in England, — not very high 
ones, it is true, not even so high as the Appalachians ; 
but they are very important, because they are full of 
iron, coal, copper, tin, and other valuable minerals. To 
get these things from the earth, somebody must go 
away out of the sunshine, out of sight of the green 
fields, out of hearing of the pretty singing birds ; and 
live and work down deep within the earth, where the 
sun never shines, and no sound is ever heard but the 
voices and hammers of the miners, and the creaking of 
their machinery. There they stay all the time, working 
under the ground, sometimes not seeing the sunlight 
for a whole year. 

8. Do you suppose you, or any child, would like to 
live in such a place ? Yet there used to be many chil- 



116 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

dren who lived there year after year, working in the 
mines with their fathers and brothers. There were not 
many things which they were strong enough to do ; but 
they opened and shut the gates between different parts 
of the mine, when the loads of ore were passing, and 
did other things of that kind, for which they did not 
need to be very strong. When they went up out of 
the mine, they all, men and children, got into a kind 
of basket, and were drawn up, very much as you draw 
water out of a well in a bucket. 



II. -THE CITIES IN ENGLAND. 
Thames [Temz]. | Lon'-don [Lun'-dun]. | Man'-ches-ter. 

1. There are large cities in England, where very 
many people live, and buy and sell goods, or Avork in 
factories and mills of different kinds. One of these, 
named London, is the largest city in the world. You 
might start from one side of it early in the morning, 
and walk all day, passing nothing but houses and shops 
and churches and other buildings, and yet you would 
hardly reach the opposite side of it before night. 

2. This great city is built on both sides of the River 
Thames, not very far from the seashore. There is often 
much fog in the air, from the river and the sea. It is 
not a light, thin fog, such as you sometimes see on a 
summer morning above the little brooks and ponds in 
the country ; but the smoke from the many thousand 
chimneys- of this great city mingles with it, and makes 
it almost black. Sometimes it is so dark that the people 
are obliged to light lamps in their houses and in the 



THE CITIES IN ENGLAND. 



117 



streets in the middle of the day. Even then they may 
lose their way in going from their shops to their homes, 
because they cannot see enough to know through what 
streets they are passing. 

3. Many fine bridges cross the Thames, binding the 








London and the Thames River. 



parts of the city together ; and, besides these, there is 
a passage, or tunnel, under the river, from one side of 
it to the other. There are thousands of ships all the 
time upon the stream. Some are coming into the city 
from all parts of the world, with food, clothing, and 
many other things for the multitudes of people who live 



118 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

there. Others are going out, loaded with articles to be 
sold in distant countries. 

4. Besides the great ships and steamers, little steam- 
boats are constantly moving up and down the river, 
like stages, to take passengers from one part of the long 
city to another ; while others carry people back and 
forth, across the stream. Along its banks, are great 
warehouses for storing goods, and miles of wharves and 
docks, to furnish room for loading and unloading the 
vessels. 

5. In other parts of the city, are large, beautiful parks. 
One, which is very fine, has the queen's palace looking 
down upon it. There are many splendid palaces, many 
grand old churches, and famous public buildings, that 
you would like to see. 

6. Manchester is another great city of England, though 
it is not nearly so large as London. You will see here 
a multitude of cotton factories, with great smoking 
chimneys. The whole city seems filled with them ; and 
a large part of the people are in some way concerned 
in them. These mills make the beautiful calicoes and 
muslins which are used all over England, and are also 
packed in boxes, and sent by shiploads to all parts of 
the world. 

7. Liverpool is another important city. It is near 
Manchester, on the seashore. Until lately, all the trade 
by sea with Manchester passed through its port. But 
now, Manchester is itself connected with the ocean by 
a ship canal, so that it is able to send away and receive 
cargoes without being obliged to depend on Liverpool. 
There are very many other cities in England about which 
you will like to learn at another time ; and there are so 



SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. 119 

many railroads, that the whole country seems covered 
with a network of iron bands. 



III. -SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. 
High'-land-ers. | Ed'-in-burgh [-bur-ruli]. | Em'-er-ald. 

1. Scotland is not much like England, but is full of 
hills and rugged mountains. Some of them have high, 
steep slopes, with bare, black rocks, and, in many places, 
terrible precipices, which make traveling dangerous. 
Some of these mountains are covered with thick forests 
of pines and fir trees. In the winter they are loaded 
with snow, and look very beautiful. 

2. On the lower mountains and hills, are many green 
pastures ; and all summer you will see them covered 
with flocks of sheep, for most of the people in these 
mountain lands are shepherds. Boys and girls, and 
sometimes men, stay with their flocks all day, to watch 
them, and keep them from getting lost in the forest. 

3. To help them guard the sheep, the shepherds have 
fine, intelligent dogs. When a sheep is lost, the shep- 
herd's dog will be sure to find where it has gone ; and, 
if he sees one going too far away from the flock, he will 
run after it, and drive it back. At night the flocks are 
driven into a, fold, and the dogs alone guard them. 

4. Among these mountains, there are many streams 
with fine waterfalls, and many beautiful, clear moun- 
tain lakes, like those in New England. In the forests, 
deer abound ; and the Highlanders, as the people of the 
mountain country are called, are very fond of hunting 
them 



120 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



5. Scotland is quite a cold country, and has a great 
deal of rainy weather. One rainy day a traveler asked 
a Scotchman if it rained so all the time. "No, sir," 
said he, " sometimes it snows." What do you think 
of a country in which it rains or snows most of the 
time ? 

6. Scotland contains many cities, but none are so 
large as the great cities in England. Edinburgh is the 




Lake Katrine. 



finest, though not the largest. It is built on hills with 
narrow valleys between them. Some valleys, though 
they have no rivers, have bridges across them, to save the 
trouble of going up and down. In crossing these bridges, 
you see houses and shops underneath, instead of water. 
7. There is one hill with a fine old castle on the top'; 
and another that has pleasant walks winding around it 
to the summit, and many beautiful statues and build- 



SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. 



121 



ings scattered among trees and flowers. From these 
hills, you can see, not only the country all about, but 
also the ocean. The air is clear and fresh, and not 
filled with fog and smoke as in London. Many of the 
streets are broad and pleasant ; but others are so narrow, 
that people standing in their doorways can shake hands 
with their neighbors on the other side of the street. 




Blarney Castle. 

8. Ireland has an abundance of rain, and is a warmer 
country than either England or Scotland. Its plains 
and hills are always fresh and green, and it is often 
called the Emerald Isle. It is the first land of Europe 
reached by the steamers which cross the broad ocean ; 
and you can imagine how charming it must look to 
travelers who have seen nothing, during the entire 
voyage, but the blue sky above and the blue sea below. 



122 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

The southern part is full of hills and low mountains, 
and among them are the most beautiful lakes and 
streams. 

9. In many parts of the country, there are places in 
which the moist ground seems to be one mass of de- 
cayed vegetable matter. These are peat bogs. The 
turf, or peat, when gathered and dried, is burned in- 
stead of wood. It makes a hot fire, and is almost the 
only fuel of the country people ; for wood is very 
scarce. 



IV. — FRANCE.— THE COUNTRY, 
chest'-nut [dies'-']. | peas'-ant [pez'-~\. | mu-si'-cian [-zi'-shan]. 

1. France, on the continent of Europe, is but a 
short distance from Great Britain. The two countries 
are separated by the ^English Channel, the narrowest 
part of which is the Strait of Dover. 

2. This is a pleasant land, full of broad plains, green 
hills, and fresh valleys ; and in some parts are rugged 
mountains. It is much warmer than England. In the 
north, there is very often fogg} r and cloudy or rainy 
weather ; but in the south the air is clearer, and the 
sky more sunny. 

3. Still I think that people who travel in France do 
not admire this country so much as England ; for the 
owners of the land do not take the same pains to make 
it beautiful. But you will see in some places what you 
do not see in England. In the warmer parts, there are 
large orchards of fig trees full of their soft, sweet fruit ; 
groves of olive and mulberry trees ; and an abundance 



FRANCE. — THE COUNTRY. 123 

of peaches, pomegranates, and other excellent fruits, 
which do not grow in England, because it is not warm 
enough. 

4. You will find, in other places, apple, pear, and 
plum trees, sometimes growing by the roadside ; fields 
of wheat and other grain, and of beets raised for sugar ; 
and flax, with its slender pale-green stalk, and its pretty 
blue flowers, like bright eyes looking up to the sunlight. 
In the forests which grow on the hills and mountains, 
are tall elms, and oaks full of glossy brown acorns, and 
beeches that bear the little three-cornered nuts which 
all children like. 

5. But the best of all the trees for the country people, 
or peasants, who live on these rough lands, is the chest- 
nut. You have all eaten chestnuts, and like them, I 
presume ; but what would you think of having only 
roasted chestnuts, and a piece of oatmeal bread, and a 
cup of water, for breakfast, or dinner, or supper ? The 
peasants use chestnuts as a part of their food. These 
grow much larger than the American chestnut ; and 
sometimes, were it not for them, many persons would 
starve. 

6. What I think would please you most, are the vine- 
yards, which can be seen in all the warmer parts of 
France. You would not think them very beautiful ; 
for the vines are planted by the side of wooden stakes, 
hardly higher than your head, above which the main 
stalk is never allowed to grow. The branches extend 
from one stake to another, and form long lines of vines, 
with spaces between them only wide enough to walk in. 

7. But, if you go to the vineyard when the fruit is 
ripe, you will see, as you walk through the narrow 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. — 9 



124 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



paths, large clusters of delicious grapes on each side, 
from the top to the bottom of the vines. They fill the 
air with their delightful fragrance, and if you put them 
in your mouth, you will find their taste even finer than 
their odor ; and you may forget to notice that the vine- 
yard looks not a little like a field of potato vines. 




Vintage in France. 

8. Now, early in the morning, the boys and girls, and 
men and women, come out from the neighboring villages, 
each with basket in hand, and then what a merry time 
they have ! They laugh and sing, tell funny stories, 
and do all sorts of amusing things while filling their 
baskets, and their mouths too, with the delicious fruit. 

9. Ever}^ little while, you will see a strong man carry- 



FEA N CE. — THE CO UN TRY. 125 

ing on his back a great, deep basket, fastened to his 
shoulders, and reaching above the top of his head. 
Into this the people who are gathering the grapes, 
enrpty their smaller baskets. When it is filled, he car- 
ries it away to the road which runs through the middle, 
or by the side, of the vineyard, and empties his juicy 
load into casks ready to receive it. 

10. By the side of each, is a man having in his hands 
a crusher, like a mallet with a long handle. As fast as 
the grapes are put into the casks, they are pressed, in 
order to break the skins, so that the juice may escape. 
When the casks are all full of the crushed grapes, 
they are driven away to the press. There the juice is 
pressed out, and then stored away, and left to ferment 
and become wine. 

11. All this the merry French people greatly enjoy. 
Sometimes in the evening, after they have been all day 
gathering grapes, the owner of the vineyard employs 
musicians to play for them. They dance until they are 
tired, and then go to their homes and sleep until the 
morning comes to give them another such merry day. 
The vineyards all belong to the rich people, but the 
peasants are very glad to help gather the grapes. 

12. There are very many people in France. For this 
reason there is not much land for each one of the peas- 
ants, and some of them are very poor. They do not eat 
white bread every day, with plenty of meat and butter, 
as our farmers do; but they have a kind of black bread, 
that is quite heavy and bitter. The most fortunate have 
a chicken, or a piece of pork, on Sunday; but many 
have meat only once a year, and that on Christinas. 

13. This seems strange to you, and I suppose you 



126 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

think they cannot be very happy. But they are the 
merriest people in the world; and the little black-eyed, 
black-haired, rosy-cheeked peasant boys and girls, with 
their bare feet, coarse dresses, and brown bread and 
chestnuts, are just as happy as children who have much 
more than they. 



V.- SOME FRENCH CITIES. 



bou'-le-vard [boo'-le-var]. mu-se'-um. 
Tui'-le-ries [Twe'-le-riz], e-ly'-sian [-lizh'-an] 
lio'-tre'Da.me[lS/'o'-ti-Dahm]. Seine [Sane]. 



Mar-seilles' [sales']. 
Louvre [Loovr]. 
Med'-i-ter-ra'-ne-an. 



1. France, like England, is full of fine, large cities. 
The largest is Paris, the capital, and one of the most 
magnificent cities in the world. Extending all round 
the inner part of the town, are handsome streets, called 
boulevards. They have a broad carriage way in the 
middle, then rows of fine trees, beneath which are side- 
walks as wide as a common street, and as smooth as a 
floor. 

2. Handsome vehicles, drawn by splendid horses, are 
constantly rolling along the carriage way; while the 
sidewalks are thronged with elegantly dressed people. 
But the boulevards are gayest in the evening, when the 
shops that border them are all brilliantly lighted; and 
the display of carriages and merry people is even greater 
than during the day. . 

3. In these shops, and others all over Paris, you will 
find all sorts of most beautiful goods. There are silks, 
laces, muslins, bonnets, and shawls, and handsome cloths 
of all kinds for ladies' and gentlemen's clothing. There 



SOME FRENCH CITIES. 127 

are shops full of elegant jewelry, and others where all 
sorts of ornaments for parlors are kept. The toy shops 
are a wonder, containing almost everything that any 
boy or girl could desire. It would take a long time 
to name even a small part of the toys; but think of 
those you admire and wish for most, and you may be 
sure that they can be found in the shops of Paris. 

4. Here, also, are spacious gardens, in which are 
groves of trees, and clusters of bright flowers, with 
numerous monuments scattered among them, and foun- 
tains cooling the air. Pleasant walks and broad car- 
riage ways wind among the trees and flowers; and neat 
benches are placed in the most beautiful spots, where 
people may sit with their friends, and enjoy the charm- 
ing scenes. These gardens are always filled with meny 
people, riding, walking, or resting ; and, when lighted 
in the evening, they are very gay places. 

5. In the Elysian Fields, and in the Gardens of the 
Tuileries, you may always find a throng of children 
with their nurses. Here are kept pretty little carriages, 
drawn by goats, in which the children may ride about 
if they like; and, as }^ou may suppose, they find it de- 
lightful to do so. There are also halls, or galleries, 
filled with rare and beautiful paintings and statues; 
and museums of curious things that have been collected 
from all parts of the world. There is one place, called 
the Garden of Plants, in which is a collection of living 
plants and animals, from all countries. 

6. Paris is built on both sides of the River Seine, and, 
like London, has many bridges, some of which are very 
handsome. It is adorned with arches and columns, 
erected by the different kings and emperors who have 



128 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



ruled over France, in honor of their brave and wise 
men, or of the victories which their armies have gained. 
There are, also, many famous churches and palaces. 
You will often hear of the Notre Dame, one of the finest 
churches, of the Tuileries, which was once the emperor's 
palace, and of the Louvre, with its beautiful paintings. 




7. Another of the cities of France is celebrated far 
and wide, on account of the elegant silk goods which 
are made there. This is Lyons. Almost half the peo- 
ple of the city are workers in silk. These silk makers 
do not work constantly in great factories full of ma- 
chinery, as do the people who make cotton goods in 
Manchester. They have little machines in their own 
houses ; and, hiring two or three other people to help 



SOME FBENCH CITIES. 129 

them, they weave the beautiful pieces of silk, ribbon, 
or velvet, when ordered by the silk merchants. 

8. Sometimes they have nothing to do for a long 
Avhile, and suffer much, because this is their only way 
of getting money. They all live in one part of the city, 
on a hill between the two rivers on the banks of which 
Lyons is built. The largest of these is the Rhone, of 
which you will learn more another time. 

9. The hills that slope up from the river banks are 
covered with tall, beautiful buildings shaded with fine 
trees, and are ornamented with many noble monuments. 
This makes the city look very pleasant; but, if you go 
about, you will not like it so well. The streets are 
narrow and disagreeable ; and by the side of magnifi- 
cent structures, you will often find ruinous old houses, 
and dust and dirt so thick that you can hardly bear to 
walk about. 

10. The streets that lead up the hillsides are very 
crooked, and sometimes so steep that it has been neces- 
sary to make stairways in some places. But, after you 
are upon the top of the highest hill, you will feel well 
repaid for the hard walk you have had. From this 
hilltop you can see the whole city, with the two rivers 
gliding like silver bands among its beautiful buildings; 
the green valley of the Rhone, with the great plain at 
the west of it; and even, far away to the east, the high 
Atys, looking like masses of purple clouds. 

11. Marseilles is another fine city. It is on the coast 
of the Mediterranean Sea, — an arm of the Atlantic 
which separates Europe from Africa. This is a much 
warmer place than Paris or Lyons, and has much less 
rain. It is in that part of France which has the bright, 



130 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

sunny sky, where the grapes grow so rich and sweet. 
The city is built around a little bay, and has a fine har- 
bor, where you may see ships from all parts of the 
world, and hear many different languages spoken. 

12. One part is called the Old City. In this the 
streets are narrow, and the houses are high and old and 
dark. The other part, called the N~eiv City, has straight, 
broad streets, with fine houses and numerous shops, like 
those of Paris. One street has many beautiful foun- 
tains, supplied with water, brought in a canal from the 
hills many miles away. 

13. The country around Marseilles is not all beautiful 
like that around Lyons. In some places it is very dry, 
and you can hardly see a green leaf or a blade of grass. 
The houses have nothing to make it pleasant about 
them but the sea view. This is so charming, with the 
blue and quiet waters dotted with green islands, and 
the clear, sunny sky overhead, that it makes one almost 
forget how dreary it is on the land. But other parts 
have no need of a view of the sea to make them pleas- 
ing ; for there are green valleys filled with vineyards, 
and. groves of olive, orange, and mulberry trees. 

14. These are not all of the fine cities in France. 
There are others in the interior as remarkable for cot- 
ton mills, linen factories, and iron works as Lyons for 
its silk looms ; and still others on the coast, which are 
famous as markets for wine, brandy, and fruits, or for 
the elegant manufactures of the country. But, after 
all, France is not nearly so crowded as Great Britain ; 
for, though more than twice as large, it has not so many 
great cities ; and Paris itself is but little more than 
half the size of London. 



THE NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, ETC. 



131 



VI. -THE NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, AND 
THE NORTHERN COUNTRIES. 



Hol'-land. 
Bel'-gi-um. 



Am'-ster-dam. 
Swe'-den. 



Den'-mark. 
Nor-we'-gi-an. 



1. The Netherlands (or Holland), a small but very 
interesting country, lies in the low plains about the 
mouth of the Rhine. The ground is so Ioav and flat 




Amsterdam. 

that it is hard work to keep the sea from overflowing, 
and covering it entirely. There are many lakes and 
marshes along the shore. The people build, around 
these, banks of earth, called dikes, to keep out the sea, 
then pump the water from them until they are dry, 
and so change them into rich meadows. 



132 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



2. Canals run all through the country, to drain away 
the water; and in summer you will see the people 
moving about in little boats, instead of going in car- 
riages, by roads, as in other countries. In winter the 
canals all freeze over, and then are covered with 
skaters. The farmers' wives skate to market, the 
men to business, and the children to school. 

3. The Netherlander are called Dutch, and it was 

from this country that the 
people came who first set- 
tled New York. They are 
very industrious, and no- 
where in the world will 
you find better farmers 
than they. The rich mead- 
ows are full of fine sleek 
cows, from the milk of 
which excellent butter and 
cheese are made. The 
Dutch are great fishermen, 
too. They catch herring 
in the sea between Eng- 
land and the Netherlands, 

but go to distant parts of the ocean for the cod and 

the whale. 

4. Amsterdam is a city of the Netherlands. It is 
full of canals instead of streets; and the ships which 
bring goods to the merchants can sail to the doors of 
the shops, to be unloaded. 

5. Belgium lies between the Netherlands and France, 
on the seashore opposite England. It is much like the 
Netherlands, but not so flat, nor so damp. It is more 




Dutch Windmil 



THE NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM, ETC. 133 

densely peopled than any other country in Europe. 
The land is divided into little farms not larger than 
a common field in one of the farms of our country. 
But the soil is so fertile, and the farmer is so very 
industrious, that, small as his field seems to us, he is 
able to get a living from it. 

6. He sows wheat in one corner, and rye in another, 
some clover for the cows in one part, and some flax, to 
make linen for clothing, in still another. The cows are 
kept in a stable, and the children must gather weeds 
and grass to feed them. Besides, there is a pig, and 
some hens, and sometimes a goat, to be taken care of; 
and the house to be kept clean, and the flax to be spun. 
Thus, you see, there is enough for all to do. 

7. Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are still far- 
ther north. Denmark and southern Sweden are low 
lands, but much colder than the Netherlands. Norway 
is a high, rugged, mountainous country, and is very 
cold. The tops of the mountains are covered with 
snow, from which . great masses of ice creep down to 
the valleys, sometimes reaching even to the seashore. 
Here they are often broken; and the part falling into 
the sea forms an iceberg, which goes floating away 
toward the warmer parts of the ocean until it melts. 

8. On the lower slopes of the mountains, are tall, 
dense forests of pines and fir trees. Rich ores of iron, 
also, abound. The coasts are thronged with wild ducks 
and geese and other water fowl, and the sea is filled with 
excellent fish. The hardy farm products also thrive in 
all the warmer portions. 

9. Many of the Norwegians work' in the forests, 
cutting down the tall, straight trees, which they send 



134 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



away to Denmark, Germany, and even to England and 
France, to be used for masts of vessels. Great num- 
bers work in the mines, or catch fish along the coast ; 
and many, also, are shepherds. 

10. In summer the cattle and sheep are driven away 
to the mountain pastures, where they are taken care of 
by children and by the old people, while the strong men 




Laplanders. 



are busy in the forests, the mines, or the fisheries. The 
Laplanders, in the northern part of Sweden and Norway, 
obtain almost their whole living from the reindeer. 
They feed upon its milk and flesh, make their clothing 
and tents of its skin, and train it to draw their sledges 
from place to place in winter. The rocky coast is often 
broken by narrow clefts, or fiords. 



SPAIN. 135 



VII. -SPAIN. 

Ma-drid'. Pyr'-e-nees. Pa'-los [Pah'-]. 

me-ri'-no [-ree'-]. Por'-tu-gal. Span'-iard. 

l! Spain is a large country lying on the coast south- 
west of France. Between them is a high mountain 
range. Its steep slopes are covered with forests, and are 
broken by narrow valleys, full of clear, rapid streams, 
with hundreds of foaming waterfalls. High up above 
the forests, whose glossy green leaves are never black- 
ened by frosts, are handsome flowering shrubs and 
mosses. Still higher are the bare mountain peaks, cov- 
ered nearly all the year with snow and ice. 

2. This mountain range is the Pyrenees. The passes 
that lead over it are difficult and dangerous every- 
where, except at the extremities of the range. The 
forests are the home of many mountain goats, and other 
fleet, sure-footed animals, which leap from rock to rock 
with the greatest agility. 

3. Crossing the Pyrenees, and going southward, we 
find ourselves at length on a high table-land, — the roof 
of Spain, as it might be called. It is dry, sterile, and so 
dusty, that even the few cultivated fields seem hardly 
less dreary than they would be without a green leaf 
upon them. The small, poor villages are so covered 
with the dust blown upon them by the terrible winds, 
that they become as gray as the ground, and at a short 
distance can hardly be distinguished from it. 

4. Here and there the high, dreary table-land is cut 
by a deep valley, through which flows a river ; and 



136 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

in these valleys, sheltered from the sweeping winds, are 
beautiful orchards and gardens. But elsewhere little 
grows except poor, coarse grasses. In spring and 
autumn these furnish pasture for thousands of fme- 
wooled merino sheep ; but in the long dry summer the 
whole surface is parched and dead. Now the merinos 
are driven northward to fresh pastures near the moun- 
tains. In winter they go down into the sheltered 
valleys to escape the storms and the cold, which are 
very severe. 

5. From this high table -land in the center of Spain, 
long mountain ranges, having broad, beautiful valleys 
between them, extend away to the sea at the east, south, 
and west. These mountains are rugged and broken. 
Many are covered with forests, which are the homes of 
multitudes of wolves ; while the glens and caves are 
frequently the shelter of robbers. Thus traveling in 
the mountainous regions is not only unpleasant, but 
often dangerous. 

6. In the forests, are many valuable trees. Among 
them is a kind of oak, the bark of which is the cork, so 
useful in many ways. Another oak bears a small, sweet 
acorn, which is much relished by the people. It is 
eaten either uncooked, or boiled or roasted, as the 
French peasants eat chestnuts. Were we visiting in 
the parts of the country where it grows, it would be 
offered to us as a great delicacy. 

7. The highest of the mountain ranges in Spain, like 
the highest in California, is called the Sierra Nevada, 
because its summit is covered with snow, even in mid- 
summer. In the warm,' rich valleys at its foot are 
orange, olive, and mulberry groves, and gardens of 



SPAIN. 



137 



pineapples, bananas, and beautiful flowers. No frost 
ever withers them ; and no winter's cold robs them of 
their leaves, their flowers, or their fruits. 

8. The olive, though a very useful tree, is not at all a 
handsome one. Its long 
narrow leaves are thick 
and stiff, and are of a 
dull grayish color, as 
though covered with 
dust. The branches are 
rough and crooked; and 
the trunk looks as 
though a strong hand 
had seized it by the top, 
and twisted it, as we 
twist a cord. In spring 
it is covered with clus- 
ters of pretty white 
flowers, and in autumn 
with the small, dark-green, plum-shaped fruit from 
which the olive oil, often called sweet oil, is pressed. 
The fruit is also preserved, and sent to other countries 
to be used as a relish at meals. 

9. Do you wish to know the use of the mulberry 
trees ? Their leaves furnish the food of the silkworm. 
Very many of these worms are raised in Spain. When 
they have lived a certain length of time, and are grown 
to their full size, they spin a fine thread, which they 
wind round their bodies until they are completely 
wrapped up in it. Thus they form a ball somewhat 
like that made by the caterpillar, from which a butterfly 
comes in the spring. This ball of thread which the 




Olive Tree and Fruit. 



138 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



silkworm spins is called a cocoon. Large quantities of 
cocoons are sent to Lyons, to be unwound and woven 
into elegant silks. 

10. There are not such great and busy cities in Spain 

as in England and 
France. The largest 
is Madrid, the capital 
of the country. It is 
on the high table-land, 
in the interior, far from 
the sea. No ships can 
come near it ; and it is 
without any large river 
upon which boats can 
go to the sea, or to 
other parts of the 
country. 

11. Madrid is very 
cold in winter, and 
very hot in summer, and so is not an agreeable place 
in which to live. Still the fountains playing in all 
parts of the city in the summer make it look very 
pleasant, and cool the air nicely. The water, like that 
of the fountains in Marseilles, comes from the country 
many miles away, and is pure and cool. 

12. The people of Madrid do little work. In the 
morning the men walk idly to and fro, with a long 
cloak over their shoulders, and a broad crimson sash, 
in which a large knife is always hidden, tied about the 
waist. The women wear long, rich dresses, with a shawl 
around them, and an elegant lace scarf thrown over 
their heads instead of a bonnet. 




Mulberry and Silkworm, 



SPAIN. 



139 



13. After dinner every one, even the workman, sleeps 
for several hours. In the evening people go to walk on 
the Prado, a beautiful, broad walk two miles in length, 
which runs through the city. Rows of elm trees, with 
seats arranged beneath them, shade it ; and here and 
there are fountains playing, around which are persons 
with little cups, waiting to sell water to those who are 
thirsty. 

14. Along the seashore are many cities, from which 
are shipped 

choice fruits, 
both fresh and 
dried, wines, .- 

and olive oil. 
On the south- 
ern coast is a 
little old town, 
called Pal os, 
now all going 
to ruin. From 
this town, about 
four hundred 
years ago, three 
small ships, fur- 
nished by the 
king and queen 
of Spain, sailed away under the command of Christo- 
pher Columbus. They went in search of lands which 
Columbus believed might be found beyond the Atlantic 
Ocean. He was sure that the earth was round, and 
that he could go to the Indies by sailing westward. 

15. When they came back, after some months, they 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 10 




Fleet of Columbus. 



140 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

brought tidings of a new land and a new people on 
the other side of the ocean; for they had reached some 
islands of the West Indies. Columbus made other 
voyages, and found South America ; and soon after, 
North America was reached by another expedition. 
Thus the Spaniards discovered the New World. It 
was they who made the first settlements there, and who 
conquered and destroyed the rich old cities in Mexico 
and the valleys of the Andes. 

16. On the west side of Spain, between a part of its 
territory and the Atlantic, is a narrow strip of country 
so much like Spain, that the traveler would hardly see 
any difference between them. This is Portugal. Like 
its greater neighbor, Portugal is famed for its warm, 
fruitful valleys and the fine wines from its vineyards. 



VIII. -ITALY. 



Ven'-ice [4ss]. Ve-su'-vi-us. Her-cu-la'-ne-um. 

gon'-do-la. Na'-ples \_-plz]. Pom-pe'-ii [-pa'-ye]. 

l. Italy is in the southern part of Europe. It is 
nearly surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, and is one 
of the hottest countries on the continent. The sky is 
almost always blue and clear; and the country, with its 
mountains and green valleys, its vineyards and meadows, 
is always pleasant. People from all over the world 
go to Italy to enjoy the sunny sky and the charming 
country, and to see the fine pictures and statues, and 
the remains of magnificent buildings, made by the old 
Romans who lived there hundreds of years ago. 



ITALY. 



141 



2. The sun is so very bright, that most things grow 
better by being somewhat shaded. For this reason 
you will see the fields planted with rows of trees, — 
mulberries and olives, elms, poplars, and a kind of pine 
which thrives only in warm countries. Around the 




A Lake in Italy. 

foot of these the grapevines are planted. They climb 
the tree, and cover its branches; and shoots of the vine 
go from one tree to another, hanging between them in 
graceful festoons. Between the rows of trees, wheat 
and corn are planted, and fine crops are produced. You 
see, therefore, that a vineyard in Italy is a very differ- 



142 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

ent thing from one in France. The tall grain, the 
branches of the trees, and the slender twigs of the 
grapevine, waving in the wind under the blue sunny 
sky, make, as you may suppose, a very pretty picture. 

3. Sometimes, near a city, the road for miles is bor- 
dered on each side by rows of grapevines. These, 
climbing upon trees or upon a sort of framework, meet 
over the road, making a pleasant shaded way for the 
traveler. The rich ripe grapes delight him with their 
fragrance, and he is allowed to gather all he wants to 
eat as he goes along ; but he must not gather them 
to take away, for that would be robbing other travelers 
who may come after him. How would you like to 
travel in this country? 

4. Italy contains very many old cities. They were 
once full of wealthy people, with splendid palaces, 
churches, and buildings of all kinds ; but the noble 
palaces have gone to ruin, and only the precious marble 
of which they were built remains to tell us how grand 
they once were. 

5. Home is the most remarkable of these cities. It 
was built more than two thousand years ago by a brave 
and skillful people, who did everything to make it 
grand and beautiful. When our Savior came on the 
earth, the emperor of Rome ruled over nearly all of 
the world then known to the Romans. 

6. There is in Rome one of the finest churches in the 
world, named St. Peter's ; also a very fine old palace, 
in which lives the pope, the head of the Roman Catho- 
lic Church. In both of these buildings you find valu- 
able paintings and sculptures made by men who have 
been dead hundreds of years. Although these have 



ITALY. 



143 



been studied by the great artists from all countries, 
yet none have ever produced works of higher merit. 

7. There are many grand palaces in Rome which are 
famous for their fine galleries of paintings and sculp- 
tures, or for their beautiful gardens. Some are sur- 
rounded by orange trees, covered with snowy fragrant 




g the 



flowers or delicious golden fruit gleaming anion 
glossy leaves. 

8. If you stand on the shore in the northeastern part 
of Italy, and look away over the water, you will see, a 
long way off, palaces and towers which seem to rise 
from the midst of the waves, for you see no land around 
them. This is Venice, another famous old Italian city. 
It was built on a great number of small flat islands ; and 



144 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

its churches and palaces were adorned with marbles of 
the finest colors, or with white marble handsomely 
sculptured. These, with the sunny sky above them, 
and the calm blue waters below, made it one of the 
most beautiful cities in the world. 

9. Venice is still very handsome, though many of its 
finest buildings are almost in ruins. Graceful little 
boats, called gondolas, glide about from place to place 
in the quiet waters between the islands. The merry 
songs of the gondoliers sound much more pleasant than 
the rattling of carriages and heavy carts over the rough 
pavements, which in other cities almost deafens us. 

10. There are in Italy many cities besides these inter- 
esting old ones, though there are none so large or so 
important as those of England and France. Naples is 
in the south of Italy, where there is hardly a touch of 
winter. It is built on the seashore, with a broad blue 
bay in front, and rough hills and fresh green valleys all 
around it. The valleys and hills are covered with 
orange groves and vineyards. 

11. At a little distance, is the famous volcano of 
Vesuvius, from which clouds of vapor are always rising. 
Its lower slopes are cultivated like the surrounding 
country ; though the people know that at any time 
the volcano may send out a stream of lava to burn, or 
a shower of cinders to bury, them all. 

12. At times, when the orange groves and vineyards 
are bathed in the beautiful sunlight, the cattle quietly 
feeding in the pastures, and the people peacefully work- 
ing or resting in their pleasant homes, a sudden noise 
like thunder is heard in the earth, and the mountain 
begins to tremble. The animals run about in terror, 



SWITZERLAND. 145 

and the people know that they must hasten to escape 
the danger that is coming. They go away to Naples 
or to some other place, far enough from the mountain 
to be safe. On coming back, they sometimes find their 
vineyards and villages all destroyed ; but they are not 
afraid to settle themselves again upon the slopes, for 
they know that the volcano is not likely to do any more 
harm for years. 

13. Two cities, that stood near Naples, were once 
buried under substances thrown out from Vesuvius. 
Their names were Herculaneum and Pompeii. For 
nearly eighteen hundred years no one knew the place 
where they had been ; but now they have been found, 
and parts of them are uncovered. People can enter the 
houses, and see how they were arranged, and how 
people lived in those old times. Many curious and 
beautiful things, made before our Savior came into the 
world, are found in these buried cities. 



IX. - SWITZERLAND. 



Swit'-zer-land. av'-a-lanche. cham'-ois [sham' -my] . 

Ge-ne'-va. | gla'-cier [gla-sher'] . al'-pine [-piri]. 

l. Switzerland is a small but famous country east 
of France. The first thing one thinks of in hearing this 
name is the Alps, a high, rugged mountain range. Its 
lower slopes are covered with vineyards, orchards, 
wheat fields, and meadows, with pleasant villages in 
every valley. Higher up are green forests of oak and 
walnut, then tall, dark pines and firs. 



146 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



2. Above these, are clusters of low shrubs covered 
with bright flowers, and green pastures, with hundreds 
of sleek cows feeding upon them. Little cottages 
are scattered all about, for the men who take care of 
the cows. Still higher are the tall sharp peaks, cov- 




View in the Alps. 

ered with ice and snow, and glistening like silver in the 
sunshine. These are the highest mountains in Europe, 
and among the grandest in the world. They fill all the 
southern half of Switzerland, and separate it from Italy. 
3. Thousands of streams flow through the pleasant 



SWITZERLAND. 147 

green valleys, leaping over precipices, and making fine 
waterfalls. Some of these are so high, that the water, 
in falling, changes into fine spray ; and the fall looks 
like a shower of white dust coming from the sky. 
Sometimes the streams go leaping and dancing into 
little basinlike hollows, or deep gorges among the 
mountains. These make beautiful lakes, that smile in 
the sunshine, reflecting the snowy peaks above them or 
the green forests around. 

4. High up in the mountains, beyond the forests and 
green pastures, the valleys are no longer gay with 
streams that dance and sparkle and sing ; but in their 
stead are rivers of ice, creeping along so slowly, so very 
slowly, that they seem not to move at all. It is only 
after watching them a long time, and trying them in 
many ways, that people have found out that they do 
move. They are called glaciers. 

5. In the cold winter, the sides of the valleys con- 
taining glaciers look very dreary, all buried in deep 
snow ; but, when the spring comes, the snow melts 
away, and there is left only the great ice river in the 
valley. The mountain slopes on both sides of it are 
covered with fresh green grass and pretty mountain 
flowers. Hoav strange that must seem ! Sometimes 
flowers grow and blossom, even on the top of the ice, 
in the little heaps of earth that have gathered there by 
falling from the rocks above. 

6. These ice rivers go over precipices too, and make 
cataracts of ice all broken and split into every possible 
shape. Some of them are very grand. In the lower 
valleys, where the summer is quite warm, the end of 
the glacier melts away as fast as it descends. Thus it 



148 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



advances no farther, but the melting ice forms a fine 
stream of water. The Rhone, which flows through 
Lyons, in France, springs, in this way, from one of the 
glaciers of the Alps. 

7. Up among the snowy peaks, from which the gla- 
ciers descend, terrible avalanches are sometimes formed. 
During or after a winter storm, a mass of snow becomes 
loosened from the rock on which it fell, and begins to 




Lake Geneva. 



roll down the mountain. As it moves onward, the snow 
on which it rolls clings to it, making it larger and heav- 
ier every moment, until it becomes an immense body. 
Now it rushes along as swiftly as the wind, dashing 
down the forest trees in its path, and never stopping 
until it has reached the valley at the foot of the slope, 
where it sometimes buries whole villages. 

8. The whole of Switzerland is only a knot of moun- 



SWITZERLAND. 149 

tains and green valleys, sparkling with streams and 
clear mountain lakes. Every little valley has its vil- 
lages, and all the larger ones have pleasant cities, many 
of which are beside the beautiful lakes. You see, 
therefore, that, though a small country, it contains 
many inhabitants. They are a strong, brave people, 
who love their mountains and valleys so much, that 
they can never bear to leave them, and are ready to 
fight and die for their homes. 

9. The peasants, who have their small farms on the 
mountains, keep cows and goats ; and many of them 
spend the whole summer making cheese. As soon as 
the snow is gone, the men go with their herds up 
to the high mountain pastures. There they stay until 
the snow comes again in the autumn, living in little 
cottages in the pastures, taking care of their cows, and 
having scarcely anything but milk and cheese to eat. 
In autumn they come down again, bringing with them 
their cheeses, which they sell in the cities. 

10. It is a very merry time when the cows go to the 
pastures in the spring. The whole village to which 
the herdsmen belong has a holiday; and their friends 
go with them part of the way, shouting, singing, and 
making themselves merry in every way. 

11. In many villages, all the winter, the people are 
carving from wood curious vases, knives, boxes, spoons, 
figures of cheese makers, of hunters with their chamois, 
and many other things. These are sold as curiosities 
to travelers who visit the mountains. 

12. Some of the valleys, though quite high and cold, 
are yet full of pleasant villages and cities, where almost 
everybody is making watches. G-eneva is the great mar- 



150 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

ket of the watchmakers. It is a very beautiful town 
beside Lake Geneva, one of the largest lakes of the 
country. 



GERMANY. 



Dan'-ube. Rhine [Rine]. Mu'-nich [-niJc]. 

Ger'-ma ny. Ber'-lin. Prus'-sia [Prush'-^, 

1. There is a broad mountain land extending north- 
ward from the Alps, the mountains becoming constantly 
lower and lower. Two great rivers flow through it, — 
the Danube, going east ; and the Rhine, going north. 
They are the longest rivers in all the western part of 
Europe. 

2. This mountain country is divided into many little 
states, — almost as many as there are separate ranges 
and different valleys and basins. In all these the Ger- 
man language is spoken ; and they are united into one 
great empire called Germany. Thus Germany is not 
the name of a single state, like France or England, but 
of many united. 

3. The southern part is much like Switzerland, with 
its mountains covered with dark forests and green pas- 
tures ; its woodcutters, chamois hunters, and milkmen ; 
and its mountain villages, wood carvers, and toy makers. 
It is full of deep gorges, bordered by high and some- 
times very steep walls of rock, and is the most interest- 
ing part of Germany. 

4. Here and there, on the top of the highest rocks, 
is a gray old castle, where, years ago, bold men lived. 
They were always having quarrels with each other, and 



GERMANY. 



151 



put their strong castles in these places to keep out of 
reach of their enemies. Sometimes, while the lords of 
these strongholds, and their retainers, were all gone to 
fight one enemy, another would come to beat down the 
castle. Then the ladies who were left at home were 
obliged, with their servants, to defend it alone. There 
were brave ladies in those days ; and sometimes they 



hfc. :!i "" ; - -— -~ 1 








I^Sw' w^v- r>$m&\ 


-: ~ 




l% 




49391 



A Castle on the Rhine. 

drove the enemy away as well as the lords of the castle 
could have clone it themselves. 

5. Those things are all past now. Many of the cas- 
tles are without inhabitants ; and bats and owls, rats 
and mice, live where brave knights and fair ladies 
once had their home. Everybody likes to see those 
old castles, and think of the old times, so different from 
the present, and of the daring people of those days. 



152 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

6. Through this rough country the Rhine flows in a 
broad, beautiful valley, which, like all the warm valleys 
of Germany, is covered with orchards and vineyards. 
At length the valley narrows to mountain gorges, 
through which the river finds its way, among crags and 
peaks crowned with ancient castles. Then it moves 
slowly onward, across low, flat plains, to the sea. 

7. The part of Germany beyond the mountains is 
very level, and is covered with grainflelcls and pastures. 
You may see also large fields of flax, which the German 
women know how to spin into the finest threads for 
making the rich laces that all ladies so much admire. 
The plains extend northward to the shores of the Baltic 
Sea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. 

8. In the Baltic plains, is the larger part of the king- 
dom of Prussia, the most powerful of the German coun- 
tries. In the sands along the coast, is found a beauti- 
ful substance called amber, which you may have seen ; 
for it is used for beads and many other ornaments. 
After a storm in which the waves have rolled high, and 
have beaten and washed away the sands of the beach, it 
sometimes is found in considerable quantities. 

9. In the western part of Prussia, in the midst of 
the plains, is the great city of Berlin, the capital of the 
German Empire. This city has one of the finest streets 
in Europe. At one end of it is the king's palace ; at 
the other is a splendid gate, leading through the walls 
into the country. 

10. Berlin contains a celebrated university, in which 
young men are taught any branch of learning they 
desire to study. Many of the greatest scholars of Ger- 
many have studied or taught there for many years. 



GERMANY. 



153 



The university, and the learned men it has brought to 
Berlin, have made the city renowned all over the world. 
There are many other noted universities in Germany. 

11. Germany has many large cities besides Berlin, 
some of them very old, 

and full of strange 
buildings and fine 
churches that were 
built hundreds of 
years ago. They have 
very strong, dark 
walls, tall towers, and 
multitudes of slender 
pinnacles ; and are 
adorned with figures 
of men and animals, 
leaves and flowers, 
and many other or- 
naments, carved from 
the solid stone. 

12. Some of the 
churches, though be- 
gun so long ago, have 
never been entirely finished. Strassbiwg Cathedral is 
one of the oldest of these. Strassburg is at the west of 
the Rhine, in a tract of country conquered by France 
from the Germans. This tract contains the two prov- 
inces Alsace and Lorraine, which were regained by 
Germany in the war of 1870. 

13. Munich is one of the finest of German cities. It 
is famous for its valuable collections of paintings and 
sculptures. 




Strassburg Cathedral. 



154 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



XI. -AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, TURKEY, AND 
GREECE. 

Aus'-tri-a-Hun'-ga-ry. Vi-en'-na. Con-stan-ti-no'-ple. 

Tur'-key. mosque [mosk]. Rou-ma'-ni-a. 

1. There is in the central part of Europe, east of 
Germany, a large empire called Austria-Hungary. 
The western portion includes a part of the Alps, and 
is much like Switzerland and southern Germany. 
Through this the Danube flows, winding along beauti- 
ful valleys, or rushing down deep and narrow gorges in 
waterfalls and rapids. 

2. East of the mountains, is a fine country of low hills 
and rich plains, in which are forests, grainfields, and 
vineyards. Everywhere are villages and cities, some 
of which have stood for hundreds of years; and here 
and there, on rugged hills, are strong old castles, like 
those in Germany. The largest of the cities is Vienna ; 
which is situated beside the Danube, near the point 
where it leaves the mountains. It is the capital of the 
empire ; and contains the palaces in which the emperor 
and his family live, and many other splendid buildings. 

3. Beyond this varied country, a broad plain stretches 
eastward, without hills, without trees, without roads, 
without houses. Along the streams are immense 
marshes, which it is almost impossible to cross. Else- 
where the plain is sandy, covered only by grass or 
other low plants. In some places, even these do not 
grow; bat the bare, loose sand is driven by the winds 
into ridges like snowdrifts. 



AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, TURKEY, AND GREECE. 155 

4. East and north of these great plains, is another 
mountainous region. It is covered with forests, and 
is full of rich deposits of gold and silver, copper and 
lead, rock salt, and many other valuable minerals. 
These mountain lands and the plains of the Danube 
are both in Hungary, the largest division of Austria- 
Hungary. It contains some of the finest and richest 
portions of central Europe. 

5. South of Austria-Hungary is a wide region of 
small plains, mountain ranges, and valleys. The Black 
Sea is at the east of it, the Mediterranean at the south, 
and the Adriatic at the west. For several hundred 
years this was all one country, called Turkey ix 
Europe ; for the Turks, who came from Asia, con- 
quered the native peoples. 

6. Now the southern portion forms the kingdom of 
Greece, and the northern portion Roumania, and the 
parts next south of the Danube are also separate and 
independent; so that only a small strip through the 
middle of their former possessions is at present con- 
trolled by the Turks. 

7. If you were to travel in Turkey, you would find 
many things to surprise you, — not in the country 
itself, for it is much like the other warm countries in 
Europe, but in the appearance and manners of its peo- 
ple. The men wear long, loose robes falling down to 
the feet. Around the waist is a broad belt, or sash, in 
which a sword is usually carried; and on the head is a 
large turban, instead of a hat. 

8. The Turks have no chairs or sofas in their 
houses, but sit on large, soft cushions, or on rugs 
spread upon the floor. The Turkish ladies are not 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. — 11 



156 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



taught even to read and are never allowed to go into 
the street, unless veiled so that only their eyes can be 
seen. Then even their own husbands or fathers could 
not recognize them. There, it would be thought as 
strange for a lady to go into the street without a veil, 
as, in this country, without shoes. 

9. The Turks have a different religion from that of 
the other nations of Europe. They are followers of 




Constantinople. 

a man named Mohammed, who was born in Arabia, 
about 570 a.d. He claimed to be the only true prophet 
of God and became a religious teacher. His followers 
are called Mohammedans. 

10. On the borders of Turkey the waters of the Black 
Sea go south westward to the Mediterranean, making a 
short but most famous passage between Europe and 
Asia. The old Greeks had many strange legends con- 



AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, TURKEY, AND GREECE. 157 

nectecl with this stream. Besides, the hostile armies 
that in old times used to pass from one continent to the 
other, were accustomed to cross here. It was over this 
stream that the ancient Persian king, Xerxes, made the 
bridge of boats for his soldiers to cross on when he 
attempted to conquer Greece. 

11. Near the Black Sea, on a beautiful expansion of 
this outlet called the Golden Horn, is the great city of 
Constantinople. The sunny blue sky above, the ships 
with their snowy sails floating quietly on the peaceful 
waters, and the great city on the shore with its gilded 
domes and slender minarets, present a very delightful 
view. 

12. The city itself looks fine as you see it from a dis- 
tance ; but, on entering it, you find the streets narrow, 
dirty, and disagreeable, and the buildings generally 
poor and low, though some of the churches, or mosques, 
are very elegant. 

13. Greece was the first part of Turkey in Europe 
to become free. It is nearly surrounded by the great 
Mediterranean Sea, and the Greeks are very fond of sea 
life. They build many ships, and are excellent sailors. 

14. When the rest of Europe was peopled only by 
shepherds, or by tribes of half -wild men, Greece was 
the home of scholars and artists, — men who studied to 
become wise, and who produced works of art exhibiting 
such taste and skill, that they have ever since called 
forth the wonder and admiration of the most cultivated 
people of all nations. The country is full of the ruins 
of cities which in ancient times were among the most 
beautiful in the world. Athens was one of the most 
famous cities of the olden time. 



158 GEOGBAPRICAL READER. 

XII. -RUSSIA. 
Rus'-sia [Rush'-]. | Cas'-pi-an. I St. Pe'-ters-burg. 

1. We have noticed very many countries in Europe ; 
but all these together form only about one half of the 
continent. The other half is one great country named 
Russia. On the southern border is the Black Sea, and 
on the southeast another immense body of water named 
the Caspian Sea. 

2. If we were to travel across Russia from north to 
south, we should find first a frozen country, with plants, 
animals, and people much like those in the coldest part 
of North America. South of this cold, dreary region 
is an immense forest, inhabited by bears, wolves, deer, 
and innumerable other animals, from many of which fine 
furs are obtained. In all this vast region not a single 
city, not a village, and hardly a farm, can be seen. 
Farther south, in the middle part of Russia, are smaller 
forests here and there, with cultivated lands, villages, 
and rich cities, as in other countries. 

3. Railroads are not common all over Russia, as in 
the United States and England and France.' For this 
reason, traveling by land is not so easy everywhere. 
In winter the travelers wrap themselves in warm fur 
cloaks and robes, and, with fine horses and large sleighs, 
glide swiftly and pleasantly over the sparkling snow. 
But the forests are dangerous on account of the wolves, 
great troops of them sometimes following the sleigh for 
miles. 

4. In the western part of Russia, near the sea, with 
the great forest country at the east of it, is St. Petersburg, 



BUSSIA. 



159 



the capital. Here it is hot in summer ; but the summers 
are short, and the winters are long and very cold. The 
ground is covered with deep snow ; the river beside the 
city is frozen ; and the adjacent sea is filled with ice. 
The people, wrapped in furs so that you can hardly see 
their faces, amuse themselves in sleighing, and in sliding 




The Winter Palace, St. Petersburg. 

down hill. As the land about the city is flat, " ice hills " 
are built on purpose for this sport. 

5. There is hardly another city in Europe so full of 
palaces and other fine buildings as St. Petersburg. The 
emperor's residence, called the " Winter Palace," is one 
of the largest and grandest in the world. Near it is a 
fine statue of Peter the Great on horseback. 



AFRICA. 



I. -SAHARA AND THE BARBARY STATES. 

Sa-ha'-ra [-hah'-] . o'-a-sis. Ar'-abs. 

car'-a-van. At'-las. Bar'-ba-ry. 

1. In the northern part of Africa, is an immense dry, 
barren plain, almost as large as our whole country. 
As far as the eye can reach, there is only a bare, sandy 
surface, with occasional hills and mountains of naked 
rock. Hardly ever a drop of rain falls, »or a cloud is 
seen in the sky, and never a cool breeze fans your 
cheek ; but all the year round it is the same dry, 
desolate land. Such a dry, barren country is called a 
desert. 

2. This is the Great Desert, or Sahara. Here and 
there, as you travel over it, you may find a little spring 
bubbling up from the earth, and sending a small stream 
of water for a short distance, until it is lost in the 
sand. In other places, wells have been dug from which 
the ground can be watered. Around the springs and 
wells, the earth is no longer naked, and scorching to 
the feet, but is covered with a rich, cool carpet of fresh 
grass, and shaded by groves of date trees. Such a 
fertile spot, like a green island in the sea of sand, is 
called an oasis. There are many oases in some parts 
of the desert. 

160 



SAHARA AND THE BAEBARY STATES. 161 

3. On the larger oases are wandering Arabs, with 
flocks of sheep and goats, and many camels and horses. 
When the flocks have eaten all the grass upon one oasis, 
the Arabs go with them to another, and then another ; 
and thus they wander from place to place all the year 
round. Because they must thus keep moving about all 




Scene on the Sahara. 



the time, these Arabs do not build houses, but live 
in tents, which can be taken up, and carried with them 
wherever they go. They are called nomads, or wander- 
ing people. 

4. Arab merchants, in great companies called cara- 
vans, constantly travel across the desert, conveying 
goods from the countries on one side to those on the 



162 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

other. These are packed in large bundles, and fastened 
upon the backs of camels. The food and water for the 
whole company are also carried by camels. 

5. The desert chiefs, who take care of and guide the 
caravan, are mounted on beautiful, swift horses. Their 
saddles and bridles are trimmed with crimson velvet, 
and gold and silver fringes, and buttons. They wear 
long silk robes of bright colors, and rich turbans ; and 
with swords by their sides, or spears in their hands, 
they present a very striking appearance. 

6. The caravans travel during the day, and at night 
encamp, if possible, on some oasis ; but they sometimes 
go on for days without finding any. Then it occasion- 
ally happens that the water brought with them gives 
out, and they suffer greatly. The camels can go several 
days without water, but the horses and men Cannot ; 
and, if they do not soon reach a spring or well, they 
die of thirst. 

7. Besides, fierce winds often sweep over the desert, 
filling the air with thick clouds of sand. Some of these 
sand storms are so dreadful as nearly to destroy the 
caravans. You would think no one would wish to go 
into such dangers ; but the Arabs love the wild life of 
the desert. 

8. The Sahara, though so great, is not the whole of 
Africa, nor even half of it. There are fertile lands 
both north and south of it. Near the north coast of 
Africa, opposite Italy and Spain, is a mountain land, 
with fine valleys, streams, and lakes. The mountains, 
called the Atlas, are covered with forests. In the val- 
leys are villages and cities surrounded by wheat fields 
and orange groves, vineyards and mulberry trees. 



EGYPT AND THE NEGRO LAND. 



163 



9. Along the coast also are cities, with ships in their 
harbors from many countries. This part of Africa is 
called Barbary, or the country of the Berbers. 



II. — EGYPT AND THE NEGRO LAND. 
E'-gypt [-jipt]. | E-gyp'-tian. | Su-dan' [Soo-dahnl . 

1, East of the Barbary States, in the corner of Africa, 
is Egypt, of which no doubt you have all heard. It is 
the country to which Joseph was taken when his brothers 




A Eoat on the River Nile. 



sold him. Through it flows a great river named the 
Nile, which is one of the longest in the world. It was 
in the grass and rushes beside this river that Moses 



164 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

was hidden by his mother, in a little cradle made so 
that it could float on the water. 

2. Egypt is a strange country, — only a narrow strip 
of fertile land along the river, with a desert on each 
side of it. It hardly ever has rain ; yet it is a very 
fruitful country, and has always been famous for the 
wheat, rice, and other things that grow there. We 
read in the Bible, that once, when there was a famine 
for seven years, Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy 
corn. How do you suppose this can be, when there is 
no rain ? 

3. Every spring it rains hard in a country far south 
of Egypt, near the source of the Nile. This causes the 
river to rise, even in Egypt, and overflow its banks ; 
and all the land around it is covered with water for 
several months. If you should visit Egypt at this 
time, you would see only what appears to be a great 
lake, with a boundless desert on each side, and with 
islands here and there, each having a village or city 
upon it. 

4. In October the flood goes down, and leaves the 
ground wet, and covered with a thin coat of rich soil 
that has settled from the water. Just as soon as they 
can see the earth again, the Egyptian farmers, who do 
not need to plow the fields, sow the seed upon this 
damp new soil; and, as the country is very warm, it 
sprouts, and grows quickly. Where the lake was, may 
now be seen a broad green plain, with the river slowly 
gliding through it, and the villages and cities scattered 
here and there on little hills or mounds. 

5. Frequent canals, leading from the river across 1 
the plain, are filled by the overflow with water from the) 



EGYPT ANT) THE NEGRO LAND. 165 

Nile ; and, when the fields begin to get dry, they are 
watered from these, nntil the plants are grown and 
ready to be gathered. Thus, you see, it is the water of 
the Nile that keeps Egypt from being a desert. 

6. South of the Sahara is the part of Africa in which 
the negroes live. There are lakes, almost as large as 
the largest of our country, with great rivers flowing 




Negro Houses in South Africa. 



from them, through fertile regions, to the sea. These 
are the sources of the Nile. On the borders of some are 
wide marshes, covered with reeds and cane, in which 
multitudes of animals hide to sleep, or to watch for 
their prey. 

7. In other places, the whole broad country, for hun- 
dreds of miles, is one great forest. The trees are always 
green, — growing, blooming, and bearing their fruits at 



166 GEOGBAPHICAL READER. 

all times in the year. Here, too, are the great elephant, 
the terrible lion, the tall giraffe, besides a multitude of 
other animals ; for in Africa are gathered, in greater 
numbers than in any other continent, the largest, 
strongest, and most beautiful animals in the world. 

8. The part next south of the Sahara is called Sudan. 
It is a middle region, between the barren lands of the 
desert, and the vast forests of Central Africa ; and the 
country consists of rich, treeless plains alternating with 
woodlands. Here are found the best of the negro tribes. 

9. The negroes of Sudan raise grain, cotton, and 
other things. They know how to make cloth from 
the cotton, and to make, from iron and copper, such 
tools as they need. They live together in towns and 
villages, which are mere collections of huts, looking 
entirely unlike anything we ever saw. 

10. In the extreme south the coast lands belong to 
England. The interior is the native home of many of 
our finest flowering plants, like the geraniums and bril- 
liant lilies. Not long ago diamonds were found there; 
among others, one of the largest ever seen. 



Ostrich Farm. 



ASIA. 



I. -WESTERN ASIA. 

Per'-si-a [shi-a], I Is-pa-han' [-hahn']. I Pal'-es-tine. 

Ar'-a-rat. | Eu-phra'-tes[-/ra'-£eez]. | pome'-gran-ate [pum'-]. 

1. East of Europe and Africa is Asia, the largest of 
all the continents. It contains several great and very 
interesting countries. In the portion nearest to Europe 
and Africa, which is quite different from the rest of the 
continent, are Turkey, Arabia, and Persia. 

2. Turkey ix Asia and Turkey in Europe form one 
country, called the Turkish Umpire. This is one of the 
most interesting regions in the whole world. In the 
northeastern corner is a little mountain land called 
Armenia, where, some people think, the Garden of 
Eden was. On the border of Armenia is Ararat, be- 
lieved by many to be the mountain on which the ark 
rested after the flood. 

3. From Armenia flow two large rivers, — the Eu- 
phrates and the Tigris, on the banks of which stood 
the celebrated cities, Babylon and Nineveh. According 
to the old writers, they were more magnificent than 
any cities now in existence ; but, strong and great as 
they were, they have perished, and only heaps of ruins 
remain to mark the places where they stood. 

4. At the east end of the Mediterranean, is Palestine, 

167 



168 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



the country of the Jews. Here was Jerusalem, in which 
Solomon built the magnificent temple ; and Bethlehem, 
where Jesus was born. Through a deep valley east of 
Jerusalem flows the river Jordan, in which he was bap- 
tized. In this country he lived, and did all the wonder- 
ful works recorded of him. The Jordan, not many miles 
from its source, flows into a basin among the hills, and 




Jerusalem. 

forms the lovely lake called the Sea of G-alilee, on the 
waters of which he so often sailed with his disciples. 
It is these things which make this land interesting to us. 
5. The western part of Turkey is mountainous, but 
was once very fruitful. On its mountains were for- 
ests of cedars ; and its valleys and hillsides were cov- 
ered with vineyards and olive groves, pomegranates 
and fig trees, mingled with grainfields and rich pas- 



WESTERN ASIA. 



169 



tures. Now most of it is quite barren ; and in some 
places are still found the ruins of splendid cities. 

6. Arabia lies beside northern Africa, and is in many 
respects very different from Turkey. Some parts of it 
are hot and dry, like the Sahara, — a dreary desert land, 
dotted with green oases of date palms. Elsewhere there 




An Arab Encampment. 

are forests of trees yielding rich gums and odors ; and 
in the south, growing upon the hillsides, are groves of 
the coffee tree, from which the best coffee in the world 
is obtained. 

7. This is the country from which the Arabs came to 
Africa ; and in the dry regions here they lead the same 
sort of bold, free life, with their herds, their camels, and 
their swift horses. The horses of Arabia are famous 



170 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

all over the world for their beauty of form and their 
fleetness ; and the Arab loves his horse as well as he 
does his wife and children. 

8. Persia is also a dry country, and the southern 
part is very warm. In some places you may travel 
many miles without seeing a single tree, hardly a patch 
of grass ; then suddenly you come in sight of groves 
of trees, pleasant green fields, and gardens filled with 
fragrant flowers, in the midst of which is a city. Ispa- 
han is such a place. These trees have all been planted 
by the people in order that they may have wood for 
burning, and for use in building. 

9. Some of these cities have rivers flowing through 
them ; but others are built beside canals, which bring 
water from some distant lake or river. In this case 
it sometimes happens that enemies destroy the canal ; 
and then, as there is no water, the people are obliged 
to remove to some other place. The trees die, the gar- 
dens become a desert, and the forsaken city goes to 
ruin. There are many such ruined cities in Persia. 

10. In the mountains which form the borders of Persia 
are streams and lakes, and fertile valleys which are the 
native home of many of our finest fruits. Here are 
great fields of roses, that fill the air with their fragrance, 
and whole gardens of tulips and many other flowers, car- 
peting the hillsides with brilliant colors. 

11. Groves of peach trees are laden with delicious 
fruit ; and sweet, juicy melons and cucumbers cover 
the earth. Here, too, strong vines climb from tree to 
tree, bearing rich grapes, in clusters much larger and 
heavier than any you have ever seen ; and luscious cher- 
ries, apricots, and many other fruits grow without care. 



THE INDIES. 



171 



In'-di-a. 



II. -THE INDIES. 

Gan'-ges [-jeez] . | Cal-cut'-ta. 



1. East of Arabia, in the southern part of Asia, are 
two great peninsulas ; and a little farther south, in the 
ocean, is a cluster of the largest islands in the world. 




Temples on the Banks of the Ganges. 

These peninsulas and islands together are usually called 
The Indies, though each of them has a separate name. 

2. These are all hot countries, with plenty of rain, 
and are remarkable for the abundance of vegetable and 
animal productions, as well as for mineral wealth. 

3. Almost all the kinds of spices now raised in differ- 
ent parts of the world may be found here in the forests. 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 12 



172 GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 

There are many rare kinds of wood, rich fruits, and 
valuable medicines ; and from the island of Java large 
quantities of excellent coffee are obtained. 

4. Brilliant diamonds, rubies of the finest color, em- 
eralds, and all those stones which are most valued, and 
used to ornament the crowns of kings and emperors, are 
found here. For thousands of years other countries all 
over Asia and Europe have known of the wealth of the 
Indies, and have sought to obtain these precious things. 
Many voyages from countries in western Europe, in 
the time of Columbus, were undertaken in the hope 
of finding a shorter way to this wonderful land. 

5. The greater and more western of the two penin- 
sulas belongs to the government of Great Britain, and is 
therefore sometimes called British- India. This is the 
most interesting of all these countries. In the northern 
part of this peninsula a large river, called the Granges, 
flows through a rich plain eastward to the sea. 

6. While many of the inhabitants of Europe were 
scarcely more learned or skillful than are the negroes of 
Sudan, there were on this plain great cities and splendid 
temples, books, and learned men. Before any of the great 
cities now in Europe had been built, the people here 
knew how to make the finest muslins, rich shawls, 
and many beautiful things from wood, ivory, pearl, and 
gold. These were sought for by other nations as much 
as were the spices and precious stones of the Indies. 

7. This plain is still covered with great cities, some of 
them very old. There are in many of them thousands 
of English soldiers and merchants, besides all the native 
people. Calcutta, the capital of British India, is in the 
low, marshy lands, at the mouth of the Ganges. 



CHINA AND JAPAN. 



173 



III. -CHINA AND JAPAN. 



Chi'-na. 
Can'-ton. 



Ja-pan'. 
Pe-king' 



To'-ky-o [To'-ke-d]. 
Ki-o'-to. 



1. China is in the far eastern part of Asia, bordering 
upon the Pacific Ocean. The Empire, of Japan is in the 
ocean, opposite the northern part of China. In some 
things these countries are much like our own, having 
plenty of rain, and being neither very warm, nor too 
cold for most of the useful plants to grow. But in 
other things they are very different, as you will see ; 
and they are among the most interesting countries of 
Asia. 

2. China has in the west high mountains, whose tops 
are covered with snow most of the year. In the east 
are two broad, 
rich plains, 
each having a 
great river, al- 
most as long 
as the Missis- 
sippi, flowing 
through it, 
from the snowy 3 
mountains on 
the west, to the i 
Pacific Ocean 
at the east. 
Japan is a mountain land, with wide and fertile valleys, 
and small plains near the sea. 




A Chinese Junk. 



174 GEOGRAPHICAL BEADEB. 

3. The Chinese are a very curious people. They 
used always to stay in their own country, instead of 
traveling about all over the world to see and learn, as 
other people do ; and they did not want people from 
other countries to come and live with them. 

4. They did not, for this reason, learn from other 
nations, and make changes and improvements in their 
way of doing things, as others do ; but for thousands of 
years they continued to dress, and build their ships and 
houses, and work, and amuse themselves, just as did 
their ancestors ages and ages before. 

5. They were the first people to find out how to print 
books, and how to make many useful things ; but, while 
all the other nations of the world have gone on learn- 
ing, they have not improved, and therefore are much 
behind them. Now they are finding out that they &re 
not the wisest people in the world, and have begun to 
change their ways. 

6. In no other country of the same size will you find 
so many people living as in China. Every foot of land 
is turned to account. Even hills and mountain sides, 
which are so steep that the earth would all be washed 
away by the rain, have little walls of stone built across 
them to hold the soil, so that they look like a very 
broad flight of stairs. 

7. These steps, or terraces, are carefully cultivated, and 
made to produce the useful crops of the country. They 
are watered by hand, and thus much work is needed to 
raise plants in some parts of China. Even on the rivers 
are floating gardens, made by putting earth on rafts, or 
floors of timber. On these are little houses, in which 
the people live, and float about from place to place. 



CHINA AND JAPAN. 



175 




Tea Plant. 



8. Nearly the same things grow in China and Japan. 
The chief productions are rice, cotton, wheat, the mul- 
berry, and, most important of all, the tea plant. Nearly 
all the tea which is used in the world 

is raised in these two countries, and 
the Indies. 

9. For ages the Chinese have fed 
the silkworm, and manufactured 
silk ; and have also made porcelain 
cups and saucers, and other things 
for the table, as well as vases and 
ornaments of many kinds. These 
are called " China ware ; " because, 
for a very long time, the people of 
China alone knew how to make 
them. Thus you see that they must 
be very industrious ; for they make all these beautiful 
things with their own hands, and not by machinery, as 
they are made in our country and in Europe. 

10. Both the Chinese and Japanese are yellowish- 
brown people ; but they are much more cultivated than 
any of the other nations of their color. The Japanese 
resemble the Chinese in their ways of thinking and 
living, as well as in looks. Like them, too, after stand- 
ing still for ages, they have begun to learn of other 
nations, and to advance ; and are making great progress 
in education and the arts of civilized life. 

11. Both these countries have many great, old, and 
interesting cities. Peking, in China, has a high, strong 
wall around it, with gates that are always guarded 
during the day, and kept shut and barred at night, so 
that no enemy can come in. It has also large beautiful 



176 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 

gardens, with hills, lakes, and groves, besides palaces 
for the emperor and his relations. 

12. Canton was for many years the only city of China 
which the emperor would allow ships from other coun- 
tries to visit. The emperor of Japan and his ministers 
live in Tokyo. Kioto is also an important city. 



IV. -MIDDLE ASIA AND SIBERIA. 
Him-a'-la-ya [Him-ah'-]. | Kash-mir'. | Ti-bet'. 

1. North of India, is a great wall of mountains, 
called the Himalaya, "the home of the snows." They 
are the highest mountains in the whole world, and the 
most steep and wild. It is almost impossible to cross 
them at any place, because they are so very steep ; and, 
besides, there are terrible storms, which cover the way 
with snow, so thau a traveler would not know where to 
find a safe path. 

2. The rivers here flow very swiftly, and fill the air 
with mists and dampness ; and the valleys are only 
gorges, often so deep and narrow that the sun never 
shines at the bottom of them. Away up in this great 
home of the snows, you will not see a single animal, nor 
hear any living thing ; and all is so wild and solemn, 
that even the sound of your own steps will make you 
tremble. 

3. On the middle slopes of the mountains, are many 
plants and animals like those on the Alps. Above the 
forests the mountain sides are covered with bright- 
colored Alpine flowers ; and many interesting plants 



MIDDLE ASIA AND SIBERIA. 



IT 



and animals are natives of these heights. This is the 
home of the beautiful horse-chestnut tree which we plant 
in our streets and gardens. In one of the valleys, called 
the Vale of Kashmir (or Cashmere), the cashmere goat 
lives, from whose wool the elegant shawls of India are 
made. 



4. South of this 
range is British In- 
dia, with its spice 
forests, its great ani- 
mals, and continual 
summer. Beyond it, 
to the north, is a vast 
mountain land, so ele- 
vated that even the 
bottoms of the val- 
leys are nearly as 
high as the top of the 
Alps ; while the peaks 
rising far above them 
are almost as high as 
the Himalaya. 

5. This mountain 
land is Tibet. It is 
the highest and most 
mountainous country 
in the world. Some of 
the lower valleys are 
populous and fertile. 

6. In summer the mountain pastures are full of flocks 
of sheep and goats, famous for their fine silk} r wool, 
from which handsome cloth and shawls are made. In 




In the Himalaya Mountains. 



178 



GEOGRAPHICAL READER. 



winter the whole country is very cold, — so cold that 
travelers are often frozen to death on their journeys. 

7. Beyond the snowy mountains, on the northern 
border of Tibet, is a broad, barren table-land. In the 
western, lowest part, are streams and lakes, and vil- 
lages and cities, green pastures, and cultivated fields. 




;fe^ilti 










A Scene in Mongolia. 

8. This is Mongolia. At times one may see this 
almost desert country covered with great herds of horses, 
oxen, goats, sheep, and camels. Low tents are grouped 
in the midst of them ; and men on swift horses ride 
about, watching the herds, and at night gathering them 
all together close to the tents. But in a day or two all 
are gone ; and only the naked, dreary land is left, with 
not a plant, nor a living animal, to be seen. 



MIDDLE ASIA AND SIBERIA. 179 

9. The Mongols wander over the table-land, wherever 
they can find food for the herds, frequently remaining 
only a few days in the same place. They are a very war- 
like people ; and often great companies of them come 
suddenly upon some of the villages in the better part of 
the table-land, rob and kill the people, burn the houses, 
and dash away again, before any one can punish them. 

10. Farther north, a great country, called Siberia, 
which belongs to Russia, extends entirely across Asia, 
from east to west. This, like the northern part of 
Russia, contains a forest country, at the north of which 
are great plains, without trees, and covered with snow 
and ice nearly all the year. In the south there are rich 
gold mines, and valleys and plains, where there might 
be fine farms if there were people to cultivate them. 
But most of the Russians living in Siberia work the 
mines, and the natives of the country wander from 
place to place with herds of reindeer. 

11. Journeys are made across this country, from 
Peking in China to St. Petersburg in Russia ; and tea, 
silk, furs, and many other things, are carried this 
immense distance. A large part of the Russians in 
Siberia are exiles, who were sent there by the govern- 
ment for some offense committed in their own country. 




THE INDIAN OCEAN AND 
AUSTRALIA. 



Aus-tra'-li-a. | Mur'-ray. | kan-ga-roo' [hang-]. 

1. The Indian Ocean is south of Asia, and must 
be crossed in going from Asia or from Africa to Aus- 
tralia. Terrible hurricanes often occur on this ocean. 
One may be sailing in the morning with a pleasant 
breeze and clear sky, when suddenly he sees a small 
black cloud on the horizon. Soon it spreads, until it 
covers the whole sky, the thunder begins to roll, and 
the lightning flashes at every moment. 

2. A terrific wind strikes the ship, the rain falls in 
torrents, and great waves rise like mountains of water. 
They dash themselves on the shore with a terrible roar- 
ing, covering it with the broken timbers of wrecked 
ships, and filling the air with white foam. 

3. In parts of this ocean, there is a kind of oyster 
within whose shell are found the beautiful pearls worn 
by ladies in necklaces and other ornaments. These can 
be obtained only by diving, and seeking the oyster at the 
bottom of the sea, a very difficult and dangerous work. 

4. Australia is the smallest of the continents, being 
only about the size of the United States. It is south 
of Asia, and a long way from it ; but the great islands 
of the Indies make a sort of bridge between them. The 

180 



THE INDIAN OCEAN AND AUSTRALIA. 



181 



most populous part of Australia is the southeast. Here 
are low mountains in which large quantities of gold are 
found ; and a broad, rich plain, with a fine river, called 
the Murray, flowing through it. 

5. There are some things very curious about Austra- 
lia. What would you 



think 



seeing am- 




Kangaroo and Lyre Bird. 



malslike the kangaroo, 
which, instead of walk- 
ing squarely on four 
feet, as others do, goes 
hopping about on the 
tail and the two long 
hind legs ? And what 
would you think of 
seeing a forest of trees 
whose tough bark 
splits and falls off 
every year, instead of 
the leaves; and of 

others, covered with leaves, yet making not much more 
shadow than if they had none, because the edge of the 
leaf is toward the light? 

6. AVhen white people first went to this continent, 
they found hardly any plants which they could use for 
food. But seeds have been taken there from other 
countries ; and now fields of wheat and corn and other 
grains, with orchards of peaches, pears, apples, and 
other fruits, grow in many parts. There are also 
plantations of cotton ; but there are not enough farmers 
to plow and plant all the rich plain, and therefore much 
of it is used for the pasturage of sheep and cattle. 



THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



muP-ti-tudes. | vol ca'-noes. | Whit'-sun-day. 

1. The Pacific, which separates Asia and Australia 
from North and South America, is the largest of all the 
oceans. It covers nearly half of the surface of the 
globe with one vast expanse of water. In different 
parts of it are multitudes of islands, besides the great 
ones near the continents. Many contain high moun- 
tains ; and some were built up by volcanoes throwing 
out substances from within the earth. 

2. But there are islands of still another sort in the 
Pacific Ocean. You may be sailing through the warm 
part of it, with nothing in sight but the broad blue 
waters and the sky, when presently you will discover, 
rising out of the sea before you, a grove of tall green 
palm trees. It is very strange to see them there, for 
they appear to be growing directly from the waves. 
But when you are nearer, you find that they stand on 
a flat island just high enough to prevent being over- 
flowed. 

3. Under the palms the ground is covered with plants 
of the richest green, and between them and the waves 
is a broad beach of sand as white as snow. Presently 
you see that what seemed to be only a long narrow 
island is a complete ring, with palm trees on all parts 

182 



THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



183 



of it, and within, a clear, still lake of the blue sea 
water. Such is Whitsunday Island. The Pacific has 
many of these flat islands, though not many just like 
this. 

4. The ships on the Pacific are nearly all from the 
United States and countries of Europe. They are going 
to China, India, Japan, and Australia, or returning 
with tea, coffee, and spices, silk, pearls, and gold. The 
island peoples 

of the Pacific = ^-=^=^ i" 

have small odd- Jl : ^=^=~- , 

looking ves- 
sels, in which -~j3j|U B^B^~ 
they go from yBgiggjP 1 ^ 
place to place j ^ jUJS 

along their 
own coasts, but 
do not venture 
far out into the 
wide sea. If 
we sail across 

the Pacific Whitsunday Island. 

from the strange shores of Asia and Australia, we can 
reach our own country. 

5. You have now visited all the most important coun- 
tries of the world. You have seen no two which are 
quite alike, but something interesting or pleasant has 
met you everywhere. You have learned just enough 
of the great earth to make you wish to know more ; and 
you will find a few important things, which you will be 
glad to learn, in Part Second. 




184 GEOGRAPHICAL HEADER. 



THE CHILD'S WORLD. 

Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful World, 
With, the wonderful water round you curled, 
And the wonderful grass upon your breast, — 
World, you are beautifully drest. 

The wonderful air is over me, 
And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree : 
It walks on the water, and whirls the mills, 
And talks to itself on the top of the hills. 

You, friendly Earth ! how far do you go 

With the wheat fields that nod and the rivers that flow, 

With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles, 

And people upon you for thousands of miles ? 

Ah, you are so great, and I am so small, 
I tremble to think of you, World, at all ; 
And yet, when I said my prayers to-day, 
A whisper inside me seemed to say, — 



"You are more than the Earth, though you are such a dot: 
You can love and think, and the Earth cannot." 

u Lilliput Lectures." 



PART II. 
GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



TO THE TEACHER. 



It will be observed that each, lesson in Part II. consists of three 
distinct divisions. The Introduction serves to recall previously 
acquired ideas connected with the topic of the lesson, and to awaken 
interest in what follows. It should be carefully read, not memorized ; 
and the teacher should call attention to any important points. 

The large print is the lesson proper, which is to be memo- 
rized and recited in the usual way. The words in boldface indi- 
cate the leading idea of each paragraph. In the reviews, are questions 
upon the lessons which the teacher can use in recitation if desired. 

The Exercise is not a part of the lesson, to be studied before- 
hand, but only suggests a familiar talk between teacher and pupils 
after the recitation, such as all primary teachers are more or less 
accustomed to. The pupils are questioned to test their general com- 
prehension of the subject treated. The geographical names used in 
the lesson are found on the map, so that the succeeding Map Lesson 
is made easy ; and items of information are given, calculated to 
interest. the pupils or to fix in mind the facts of the lesson. In 
short, this is the teacher's opportunity for oral instruction ; and it 
may be extended at discretion, especially with reference to local or 
home geography. 

The Map Lessons are to be recited from a wall map, a black- 
board map, or with no map in view, according to the judgment of 
the teacher. The Written Exercises and Reviews occurring at 
frequent intervals add variety, and will be found of great value. 

By means of the Readings in Part I., bearing upon the subjects 
of successive lessons, and the variety of work presented in Part II., 
a constant interest will be maintained in classes, and the happiest 
results may be expected. 

186 



INTRODUCTION. 



I. -THE EARTH. 



(Part L, Pages 1-3.) 

In the preceding part of the book, you have been reading, 
making imaginary journeys all over the world. In this part, 
are lessons about the most important countries, to be studied 
and learned by heart. This is a different kind of work ; but 
you will find it just as pleasant, for you wish to become 
wise, and every lesson will help you a little in gaining a 
knowledge of the great world. 

The earth is the world on which we live. 

The shape of the earth is 
round, like an orange. 

The size of the earth is 
so great that to go round 
it one must travel two hun- 
dred and fifty miles a day, 
for one hundred days. 

The surface of the earth 
is composed of land and 
water. 

The water covers nearly 
three quarters of the sur- 
face. The whole water 
surface is called the sea. 
It is divided into oceans. 

The land forms about one quarter of the surface. 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 13 187 




A Globe. 



188 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



It is divided into large masses, called continents, and 
small bodies, called islands. 

Exercise. — How far is it round the earth ? How many weeks 
are there in the hundred days spent in going round it? How many 
months? Do you see more land, or more water, on the earth? 
How do people make the land useful ? What use is made of the 
sea? Would you think there would be more sea than land? Why 
do you think so? If there were three parts of land to one part 
of water, the land would be much less pleasant than it is. Some 
time you will understand this. The picture in this lesson shows 
you the shape of the earth. The two dark, rough-looking places 
represent continents ; the rest, oceans. 



II. — REPRESENTATIONS OF THE EARTH. 

It is not very easy to learn how the continents and oceans 
are situated on the earth, nor where the different countries 
are, unless there is some way of showing these things to 







HE IS 

ww.m - 



m 



Balloon View of New York and Vicinity. 



our eyes. For this reason people have contrived ways of 
representing the earth, to help in learning geography. 



REPRESENTATIONS OF THE EARTH. 



189 



The earth is represented both by globes and maps. 
A globe is a ball with drawings upon it, to represent 
the continents and oceans as they appear on the earth. 




A map is a drawing which represents any part of the 
surface of the earth. 

A hemisphere map represents one half of the earth's 
surface. 

The colors on the large maps in this book show how 
the land is divided into continents, and the continents 
into countries. 

Exercise. — Here is a view of New York and the country 
around it, as one would see it looking down from a balloon. 
There are besides the great city, the smaller cities scattered about, 
the river, the bay, the ocean, and the islands. Next comes a map 
of the same country. It does not show any of these things as they 
look in nature, but has only lines and marks to stand for them, 
with a name beside each to show what it represents. Which is 
prettier to look at, — the balloon view or the map? What can 
you learn from the map which the view does not show ? Read the 
names of all the objects represented on this map. Which city have 
you read about ? Which river ? What can you remember about 
them? Can you make a map of your schoolroom? Try it. 



190 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



III. -DIRECTION ON MAPS AND GLOBES. 

Map makers put on the globe and on maps, two sets of 
lines to enable us to see the direction of places and coun- 
tries from each other, as well as their location. They are 
north-and-south lines, and east-and-west lines. On the globe, 
as the picture of the hemispheres shows, the north-and-south 
lines all meet in two points. 



-. 




The Earth in Hemispheres. 

Directions are shown on maps and globes by two 
sets of lines crossing each other. 

North-and-south lines cross the map from top to bot- 
tom, and are called meridians. 

On the globe the meridians all meet in two points, 
the north pole and the south pole. 

The east-and-west lines cross the map from side to 
side, and are called parallels. 

The line extending around the globe, half way be- 
tween the poles, is the equator. 

Toward the top of the map, along a meridian, is 
north ; toward the bottom, south. 



DISTANCE ON MAPS AND GLOBES. 191 

Toward the right hand, along a parallel, is east; 
toward the left, west. 

Exercise. — Turn to the hemisphere maps (pp. 194, 195). 
What continents are shown upon each? What oceans? Find the 
equator ; the meridians ; the parallels. Trace a line directly north 
and south across the map. Trace a line directly east and west. 
In what direction is Europe from Asia? Asia from Australia? 
Africa from Europe? Australia from Europe? Africa from 
Asia? South America from North America? On p. 190 is a 
picture of the hemispheres: find in it the meridians; the paral- 
lels ; the north pole ; the south pole ; the equator. Can you tell 
the names of the continents and oceans in the picture ? 



IV. -DISTANCE ON MAPS AND GLOBES. 

Distance on maps and globes is shown by numbers upon 
the parallels and meridians. You know that along some 
railroads you see mileposts, from time to time, with num- 
bers upon them giving the distance in miles from some 
important place. 

But on globes and maps distances are marked in degrees, 
not miles. A degree (written 1°) is one three hundred and 
sixtieth part of the whole distance around the earth. De- 
grees north or south are always reckoned from the equator. 
Degrees east or west are reckoned from some meridian 
agreed upon, which is named the prime meridian. 

Distance from the equator is called latitude. Places 
north of the equator are in north latitude ; those south, 
in south latitude. 

Distance from the prime meridian is called longitude. 
Places east of the prime meridian are in east longitude ; 
those west, in west longitude. 



192 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

Each parallel is marked with the number of degrees 
of latitude between it and the equator. 

Each meridian is marked with the number of degrees 
of longitude between it and the prime meridian. 

The equator and the prime meridian are marked 
0, because they are the lines from which reckoning 
begins. 

Exercise. — Turn to the map of the eastern hemisphere. 
What figure is against the equator, in the border of this map? 
Find the meridian marked 0. Why are these two lines marked ? 
Read the numbers on the meridians east of the prime meridian. 
Read the numbers on the parallels north of the equator. What 
do these numbers show? Is North America in east, or west, 
longitude? Is it in north, or south, latitude? 



V. — REVIEW. 



I. What is the shape of the earth? How large is it? Of what 
does its surface consist ? How much of it is land ? How much is 
water? What is the whole water surface called? How is the 
water divided ? How is the land divided ? What is geography ? 

II. How is the earth represented for study ? What is a globe ? 
What is a map? What do the hemisphere maps show? What 
are the colors on the maps for? 

III. How is direction shown on maps? What are the north- 
and-south lines called? The east-and-west lines? Where do the 
meridians meet ? Where is the equator ? Which way on the map 
is north? East? South? West? 

IV. How is distance shown on maps? What is a degree? 
What is latitude? North latitude? South latitude? What is 
longitude? East longitude? West longitude? What does the 
number on each parallel show ? On each meridian ? How are the 
equator and the prime meridian marked ? Why ? 



CONTINENTS, ISLANDS, AND OCEANS. 193 



VI. -CONTINENTS, ISLANDS, AND OCEANS. 

You have already noticed how the sea is divided into 
oceans, and the land into continents and islands. You will 
see on the globe that all the great islands are near the bor- 
ders of the continents ; but there are very many little ones 
far away in the midst of the oceans. The continents and 
islands contain countries, and are the homes of people. The 
oceans afford routes of travel and trade between the coun- 
tries on their borders. 

There are six continents. Europe, Asia, Africa, and 
Australia are in the eastern hemisphere; North Amer- 
ica and South America, in the western. 

The largest continent is Asia, but Europe and North 
America have the richest and most important countries. 

The largest islands are New Guinea and Borneo, be- 
tween Asia and Australia ; but the richest and most 
powerful is Great Britain, near the coast of Europe. 

There are five oceans. The Pacific is the largest. 
All the most important countries border on the Atlantic 
or its arms, and the most travel and trade cross it. 
The others are the Indian, Arctic, and Antarctic Oceans. 

Exercise. — Turn to the hemisphere maps. What continents, 
in each hemisphere, border upon the Pacific Ocean ? The Atlantic 
Ocean ? What continents border upon the Indian Ocean ? The 
Arctic ? The Antarctic ? Which of all these oceans border upon 
our own country? Which ocean do we use most? What use do 
we make of it? 

The girls may write what we would see in crossing the Atlantic ; 
the boys write how, where, and for what, whales are caught. 
(Pages 110-112.) 



WESTERN HEMISPHERE. 

What continents are in the western hemisphere? 
What oceans are partly in the western hemisphere ? 
In which continent is the United States ? 




■&-- 



tof-C^ 



ofPaua^ lib*' V 



, 60 ^ 3. iO 



M: 



^c7\i c \ To- 




-50 SOUTH POLE 



In what direction from us is South America? 
In what direction from South America are we ? 
In what direction from us is each of the oceans ? 
Which continent is crossed by the equator? 
Is North America in north latitude, or in south latitude? Why? 

194 



EASTERN HEMISPHERE. 

What continents are in the eastern hemisphere ? 

What ocean is wholly in this hemisphere? What ones partly? 

What continent is crossed by the equator ? 




Which continents are in north latitude? 
In what latitude is most of Africa? 
In what latitude is Australia? 

In what direction from Europe is Asia? Africa? Australia? 
What oceans touch Europe ? Asia? Africa? Australia? 

195 



196 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



VII. -BORDER LANDS AND WATERS. 

When you notice the map of North America, you see that 
a very crooked line marks its borders. In some places the 
land juts out into the ocean, so that parts of it are nearly 




5 . i ' 



wsm 



1. Mountain. 2. Plain. 3. Island. 4. Cape. 5. Peninsula. 

6. Bay. 7. Harbor. 8. River. 9. Strait. 

separated from the rest. In other places, parts of the oceans 
run into the land so that they seem almost like lakes. There 
are small points of land here and there, and there is a long 
narrow neck connecting North America with South America. 



LAND SURFACE. 197 

The land which borders upon the water is called the 
coast or shore. 

A peninsula is a part of the coast land nearly sur- 
rounded by water. 

A cape is a point of land projecting into the water. 

An isthmus is a narrow neck of land connecting two 
bodies of land. 

Parts of the oceans which lie within or among the 
lands are called gulfs, bays, and seas. 

Narrow passages of water, connecting bodies of water, 
are called straits, channels, and sounds. The shallow 
passages are the ones usually called sounds. 

Exercise. — Turn to the map of North America (p. 243). 
Point to any part of the coast. Name all the gulfs, bays, and seas 
which you find along the coast. What straits can you find? What 
waters does each connect? What isthmus can you find? What 
lands does it connect ? Name all the capes which you see ; the 
peninsulas; the islands. Name the lands and waters in the pic- 
ture opposite. What harbor (p. 40) have you read about? Where 
is New York Harbor ? 



VIII. -LAND SURFACE. 
(Part I., Pages 20, 65, 66.) 

In parts of our country, we have seen wide plains, some 
with a level surface, and some covered with low hills. Else- 
where the land is lifted up into great mountain ranges with 
valleys between them ; or it forms wide table-lands so dry 
as to be almost deserts. All these different lands are use- 
ful. Some are good for tillage and pasturage, some afford 
fine forests, and others contain rich minerals. 

Hills are parts of the land but little higher than the 
surrounding country. Mountains are very high lands. 



198 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

A long ridge of mountain land is a mountain range. 

Many ranges connected make a mountain system. 

A valley is a narrow tract of land between higher lands. 

A plain is an extended region of level land. Some 
plains are quite flat, others have a rolling surface. 

A high plain is called a table-land, or plateau. 
Some, table-lands are surrounded by mountains. 

Exercise. — What plains in the United States have you read 
about? What mountains do you remember? Find these on the 
map (p. 243) of North America. Do you remember the highest 
mountains in the world (p. 176) ? The highest peak is Mount 
Everest, more than five and one half miles high. What kinds of 
land are shown in the picture on p. 7 ? 16 ? 30 ? 47 ? 



IX. -THE WATER UPON THE LAND. 

(Part I., Pages 23-29.) 

You know that some of the rain, as it falls, sinks into 
the ground, and makes springs. Brooks flow from springs, 
making rivers and lakes ; and rivers find their way from the 
highlands, through the valleys and across the plains, to the 
sea. Did you know that the water is only seeking its own 
home ? That which feeds the springs, and makes the lakes 
and streams, once rose from the sea as vapor, and floated 
away over the land to produce rain clouds. This is one 
benefit that comes from the fact that there is more sea 
than land on the earth, for so the land gets more moisture. 

A spring is water flowing from within the ground. 
Springs are the sources of brooks and rivers. 

Brooks are small streams of water ; rivers are large 
streams. 



THE WATER UPON THE LAND. 



199 



Tributaries are the streams which flow into a river. 

Towards the source, or beginning, is up stream ; and 
towards the opposite end, or mouth, is down stream. 

The banks of a stream are the ground along each 
side of it. The right bank is the one on the right hand 




Lake Hopatcong. 

of a person facing down stream. The other one is the 
left bank. 

A lake is a body of water in a hollow of the land. 
Most lakes are fresh, but some are salt like the sea. 

Exercise. — Turn to the map of North America (p. 243). Find 
Lake Superior ; some other great lakes. How are they represented ? 
Find the Mississippi River. How are rivers represented ? What 
other rivers can you find ? Where is the source of the Missouri ? 
Where does the water of the Missouri find the ocean ? 



200 GEOGBAPHICAL PBIMEE. 



X. — REVIEW. 



VI. How many continents are there? Name those in each 
hemisphere. Which is the largest? AVhich have the most impor- 
tant countries? (See p. 193.) What and where are the largest two 
islands ? What and where is the most rich and powerful island ? 
How many oceans are there ? Name them. Which is the largest ? 
Which is most important ? Why is the Atlantic important ? 

VII. What is the coast? A peninsula? A cape? An isth- 
mus? What are parts of the ocean extending into the land 
called ? What are narrow passages of water called ? How do the 
sounds differ from other passages of water ? 

VIII. What are hills? Mountains? What is a mountain 
range? A mountain system? A valley? A plain? A table- 
land? What kinds of surface have plains? What is the highest 
mountain system in the world ? What is the highest peak ? How 
high is it ? 

IX. What is a spring ? A brook ? A river ? A tributary 
stream? A lake ? What is meant by up stream ? Down stream? 
What is the source of a stream? The mouth? The banks? The 
right and the left bank? What kind of water is in lakes? 

Write all you remember about the Mississippi, — where its 
source is, what great tributaries it has, and what sort of country 
is along its course. 



XI. -CLIMATE AND ZONES. 

(Part I., Pages 78-80, 92, 99.) 

On the Amazon, you know, there is constant summer. 
Our country has summer during a part of the year, and win- 
ter about as long. The Arctic shores have winter nearly 
all the time. Some countries have a moist air, and others 
are very dry ; while in some the air is so impure as to make 
people sick. In describing these conditions, we use the word 
climate. South America has a hot climate, our country has a 



THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS. 201 

temperate climate, and the Arctic shores have a cold climate. 
Countries alike in climate are situated about the same dis- 
tance from the equator; so we think of them as forming 
belts, or zones, around the earth. There are four parallels, 
with names, which mark the boundaries of the zones. 

The climate of a country is the state of the air. It 
may be warm, cold, or temperate ; moist or dry; healthy 
or unhealthy. 

The hottest countries lie on and near the equator, 
and form the Torrid (burning) Zone. It extends from 
the tropic of Cancer to the tropic of Capricorn. 

The temperate countries form two Temperate Zones. 
The northern extends from the tropic of Cancer to the 
Arctic circle ; the southern, from the tropic of Capri- 
corn to the Antarctic circle. 

The very cold regions form two Frig-id (frozen) 
Zones. The northern extends from the Arctic circle 
to the north pole : the southern, from the Antarctic 
circle to the south pole. 

Exercise. — Turn to the map of hemispheres. Find the equa- 
tor and the four named parallels. In which zone is our country? 
Most of Africa? Of South America? Of Europe and Asia? 
Which zones have most land? Which zone has least? In which 
would you rather live ? Why ? What climate is there at the foot 
(p. 99) of the Andes? On their middle slopes? At the top? 
Climate always grows cooler from the bottom to the top of moun- 
tains, as well as from the equator towards the poles. 



XII. — THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS. 
(Part I., Pages 93-97.) 

Nowhere are there such great forests, such brilliant flowers, 
so many choice fruits and rich spices, as in the silvas of the 



202 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



Amazon and in the Indies. The Torrid Zone has no winter 
to stop the growth of plants, but plenty of heat and moisture 
to perfect them. Beyond this zone, plants become fewer and 
less luxuriant until, in the Frigid Zone, there are hardly any 
but mosses. The Torrid Zone, too, has the largest and most 
dangerous wild beasts and serpents, and the most brilliant 
birds and insects. In the Temperate Zone most of the wild 
animals are harmless, many of the birds sing, and a few in- 
sects are poisonous. 




The Zones. 



Plants grow most luxuriantly in the Torrid Zone. 
Coffee, sugar cane, spices, and many delicate fruits 
belong to this zone. 



BACES OF MEN. 203 

In the Temperate Zone plants stop growing in win- 
ter, and most trees lose their leaves. Most of the cul- 
tivated plants are native to the North Temperate Zone. 

The Frigid Zone has few plants except mosses. 

Wild animals are most numerous, largest, and most 
dangerous in the Torrid Zone, and the birds and insects 
are most brilliant. 

The domestic animals nearly all originated in the 
North Temperate Zone. 

The Frigid Zone has few large land animals, but the 
greatest creatures of the sea are found there. 

Exercise. — The picture on the opposite page shows some 
plants and animals in the different zones. Name some in the 
Torrid Zone. Have you seen any of these, or any others of that 
zone? What animals of our country have you seen most? Do 
you see any of them in the picture? In what zone are they? 
Because they are tamed, and accustomed to live among men, they 
are called domestic animals. What animals do you see in the 
South Temperate Zone ? In the Frigid Zones ? What makes the 
Torrid Zone best for plants ? 



XIII. -RACES OP MEN. 

In our country, are white men and negroes, reddish-brown 
Indians, and a few yellowish-brown Chinese and Japanese. 
Cn the islands of the Pacific, are blackish-brown people, and 
in Australia black people. On account of such differences 
among them, men are divided into races. 

There are six races of men, — - one white, three brown- 
ish, and two black. 

The white race are the native people of Europe and 
western Asia ; but they have spread over America and 
parts of the other continents. This is the most power- 
ful race, and has made most improvement. 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 14 



204 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



The yellowish-brown people belong to Japan, China, 
and the rest of eastern Asia. 
They are called the yellow, or 
Mongolian, race. 

The blackish-brown peo- 
ple live on the islands of the 
Pacific. They are called the 
brown race, or Malays. 

The reddish-brown, or cop- 
per-colored people, are the 
Indians of America. They 
are called the red race. 

The black races belong to 
The first negroes of our country 




James Russell Lowell. 

Africa and Australia 
came from Africa. 



Exercise. — You have seen persons belonging to the white 
race. What other races have you seen ? Think of one person of 
each race that you have seen, and write all about him. Tell 
whether he is a large or a small person, the color of his skin and 
eyes, what sort of hair he has, anything singular about the shape 
of his head and features, and what sort of dress he wears. 



XIV. -CIVILIZED MEN. 
(Part L, Pages 60-63.) 

In our country, in Europe, and in other parts of the 
world, are states, kingdoms, and empires, with rich cities 
and educated people who busy themselves about many dif- 
ferent occupations. These are civilized nations. 

In Africa, and some other countries, are men who get all 
their food and clothing from the wild plants and animals, 
and know how to build only the rudest huts for shelter. 
These are savages. In still other countries the people till 



CIVILIZED MEN. 



205 



the soil, or raise cattle, instead of supplying their wants 
only from wild plants and animals. They build better 
houses, and know how to make many things ; but they have 
neither books nor schools for the improvement of their 
minds. Such are barbarous people. 




Commerce. 

Civilized men supply their wants chiefly by agricul- 
ture, manufacturing", and commerce. 

In countries on the seacoast, they also engage in 
fishing; where there are forests, in lumbering; and 
where there are valuable beds of stone or other min- 
erals, in quarrying and mining. 

Agriculture is tilling the soil, and raising plants and 
animals, to procure materials for food and clothing. 



206 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

Manufacturing" is making articles from raw materials. 
Most things obtained by agriculture must be manufac- 
tured before they are tit for use. 

Commerce is buying and selling, or exchanging goods. 
Some countries can better produce one thing, and some 
another. By commerce, each can obtain the productions 
of all. 

Exercise. — These are but few of the things civilized people 
do. Name some classes of persons who do other things. (Artists, 
who spend their time in making beautiful things ; preachers and 
teachers, who instruct the people; lawyers, doctors, authors, etc.) 
Name the materials we use most for food ; for clothing ; for shelter. 
How do we get them? Name some of the things we obtain only 
by commerce. From what countries do they come ? What business 
is shown in the picture on the preceding page? On p. 30? 36? 
49 ? Which business would you prefer ? Why ? The pictures on 
pp. 64, 81, and 165 show savage life. Would you like it? 



XV. -REVIEW. 



XL What is climate ? How many zones are there ? Where is 
the Torrid Zone? Each Temperate Zone? Each Frigid Zone? 
How does climate change from the equator to the poles ? From 
the bottom to the top of mountains ? 

XII. In what zone are plants most luxuriant? In what zones 
least so? To what zone do most of our cultivated plants belong? 
Where are wild animals largest and most dangerous? In which 
were the domestic animals native ? What sort of animals live in 
the Frigid Zone ? 

XIII. How many races are there? What are their colors? 
Where is the white race? The yellow race? The brown race? 
The red race? Where are the black races? 

XIV. How do civilized nations supply their wants? Define 
agriculture; manufacturing; commerce. How do savages supply 
their wants ? Barbarous people ? 



NORTH AMERICA. 



XVI. — THE UNITED STATES. 
(Part L, Pages 8-12, 17-19, 63-69.) 

In imaginary journeys we crossed the Atlantic Plain in 
New Jersey, seeing its fine farms ; and the Appalachian 
Mountains in Pennsylvania, noticing the abundance of iron 
and coal ; then we entered the rich, rolling Central Plain in 



s m 



ifc^pjlll 





Ww$- 




A Western Farm. 

Ohio. We descended the Mississippi, passing prairie farms, 
cotton fields, and sugar plantations. We crossed the Kocky 
Mountains, the barren table-land, and the Sierra Nevadas, 
with their treasures of gold and silver, and through wide, 
fruitful valleys, we reached the Pacific. 

207 



208 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

The United States is in the middle part of North 
America. It extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 
and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. 

The Atlantic Plain is on the eastern side, bordering 
upon the Atlantic Ocean. 

The Appalachian Mountains lie next, extending 
from the northern boundary nearly to the southern. 

The Central Plain fills the middle, reaching from 
the Appalachian to the Rocky Mountains. 

The table-land and the mountain systems that form 
its borders occupy the western part of the country. 
Beyond them are only valleys and low coast ranges. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of United States.) Across 
what three States (pp. 8, 12, 20) were our first journeys? Find 
these States. Find the cities noticed in them. How (see United 
States map, left-hand lower corner) are the cities marked on the 
map? Why, then, is Trenton marked differently from Cincinnati? 
What region is between the Appalachian and the Rocky Moun- 
tains? The Central Plain is the richest division of our country : it 
is also the largest. Write all you remember about the surface of 
the Central Plain. 



XVII. -CLIMATE OP THE UNITED STATES. 
(Part L, Pages 10, 33-37.) 

You know how much warmer the southern part of our 
country is than the northern. The southernmost points 
reach nearly to the tropic, and are almost as warm as the 
Torrid Zone. But the western half is very unlike the east- 
ern in moisture. You remember how productive the coun- 
try is throughout the east, how dry it becomes towards the 
Eocky Mountains, and how barren the table-land is. But 
beyond the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains are rich 
valleys, with plenty of rain. 



DIVISIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. 209 

The United States is in the southern half of the 
North Temperate Zone. 

The climate of the northern border is cool, winter 
lasting several months. Towards the south it becomes 
warmer, and the southern border has hardly any winter. 

Rain is abundant in the eastern half of the country, 
but much of the high land in the western half is natu- 
rally quite dry. The Pacific coast lands have rain 
enough, and are warmer than the Atlantic coasts. 

The cultivated plants vary with the climate, — wheat 
growing to the extreme north. Farther south are corn, 
tobacco, and the vine; then cotton and rice; and, in the 
southernmost parts, sugar cane, figs, and oranges. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of United States.) Name the 
northern divisions of the country west of Lake Huron ; the north- 
ernmost State on the Atlantic coast. What parallel crosses these 
divisions? Where is this parallel on the globe? (Half way from 
the equator to the north pole.) Name the two southernmost 
States. What parallel is near their southern points? Find the 
southernmost point of California. What city on the Atlantic coast 
is just opposite this? You see that the Pacific coast is opposite 
the middle and northern part of the Atlantic coast, but it is as warm 
as the middle and southern part. Find the meridian of 100° west 
longitude ; all the dry, barren lands lie west of it. 



XVIII. -DIVISIONS OP THE UNITED STATES. 

The eastern half of the United States contains a much 
larger population than the western. Near the Rocky Moun- 
tains and on most of the table-land beyond, the ground is 
naturally too dry to produce enough to support a popula- 
tion ; and the water needed for the growth of plants must 
be brought from long distances with great trouble. Hence, 
at first, not many people went to these high lands, except 



210 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

where gold and silver could be obtained. The Territories 
are great divisions of country which do not yet contain 
people enough to make States. 

The United States is divided into forty-five States 
and five Territories (besides its island possessions in the 
West Indies and in the Pacific). 

Fourteen of these States border on the Atlantic 
Ocean, three on the Pacific Ocean, and five on the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

The Territories are Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, 
Oklahoma, and Indian Territory. The last two are in 
the great Central Plain. 

The District of Columbia, in which Washington is 
situated, belongs to the government. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of United States.) Read the 
names of the Territories. Read the names of all the States that 
touch the Atlantic ; the Gulf of Mexico ; the Pacific ; the Missis- 
sippi ; the Missouri ; the Ohio. What other States are there? 
Copy the names of all the States. 



XIX. -GOVERNMENT OP THE UNITED 
STATES. 

In the United States the rulers and law makers of the 
nation are all chosen by the people. Such a government is 
a Republic. The highest officer is the President. There are 
two bodies of men, who unite to make the laws. They are 
together called the Congress; one body is the Senate, and 
the other is the House of Representatives. 

Every State sends two of its citizens to the Senate, and 
one or more to the House ; and every State takes part in 
choosing the President, so that all have a share in govern- 



GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 211 

ing the country. The President lives at Washington, and 
Congress meets there ; thus it is the seat of government. 

The United States is a republic. It contains over 
sixty millions of people. The President is the highest 
officer of the government. 




Faneuil Hall, Boston, — the Old "Cradle of Liberty." 

The laws are made by Congress, which meets every 
year. Congress consists of a Senate and a House 
of Representatives. 

The Senate is composed of two senators from each 
State. 

The House consists of representatives from each 



214 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

State. The number each State sends, depends upon its 
population. 

The seat of government of a country is called the 
capital. Washington is the capital of the United 

States. 

Exercise. — Who is now President? If a President dies in 
office, who succeeds him? How is the Vice President elected? 
(The people choose him.) When Queen Victoria dies, who will 
succeed her ? (Her son inherits the office.) Where the chief ruler 
inherits his office, the government is a monarchy. England is a 
monarchy. The picture on p. 211 shows you a famous old building 
in Boston. It is called "The Cradle of American Liberty," on 
account of the spirited public meetings held there during the 
exciting times of the Revolutionary War. 



XX. -REVIEW. 



XVI. Where is the United States? How far does it extend? 
What regions compose the country? Where is the Atlantic Plain ? 
The Appalachian system? The Central Plain? The table-land? 
What mountain systems border the table-land (p. 66)? What lies 
west of the Sierra system ? 

XVII. In what zone is the United States ? Describe the climate. 
In what parts of the country is rain abundant? Which part is 
dry? Which is warmer, the Atlantic or the Pacific coast? Name 
some cultivated plants in the north, the middle, and the south. 

XVII T. How many States in the Union? How many Territo- 
ries ? In which part are most of the States ? The Territories ? 
Where is the District of Columbia? Alaska? How did Alaska 
become ours? 

XIX. What is the government of the United States ? What is 
the population ? What is a republic ? What is the highest officer ? 
By what body are the laws made ? Of what does Congress con- 
sist ? Of what is the Senate composed ? The House ? What is the 
capital of the United States ? What is the capital of any country ? 



NEW ENGLAND. 215 

(Map of United States.) What two oceans border upon 
the United States ? What country at the north ? What gulf and 
country at the south? W x hat system of mountains in the eastern 
part ? What two systems in the western part ? Name the great- 
est river in the United States ; its greatest two tributaries ; two 
long rivers west of the Rocky Mountains ; five great lakes north 
of the Ohio ; a salt lake west of the Rocky Mountains. 

[Name the Territories. Which two are farthest east? Name 
the States bordering upon the Atlantic ; upon the Gulf of Mexico ; 
upon the Pacific ; upon the Mississippi ; upon the Missouri ; upon 
the Ohio; upon the Great Lakes. Which States do not border 
upon any of these waters ? Name the northernmost States of the 
Union : the southernmost two States. 



XXI. -NEW ENGLAND. 
(Part I., Pages 59-61.) 

You have already learned much, about this part of our 
country. A brave captain from England, who explored it 
when it was all a wilderness, called it New England, in honor 
of his own country across the Atlantic. The first white 
settlers are called "the Pilgrim Fathers." They were Eng- 
lish people, and came over in a ship named. "The May- 
flower" in the year 1620. Their landing place was at 
Plymouth, on the coast of Massachusetts. 

New England contains six States, — Maine, New 
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
and Connecticut. 

The country is rough, but beautiful. The river 
valleys and a part of the coast are the only level lands. 

There are no very high mountains. The White 
Mountains, in New Hampshire, are the highest; and 
the Green Mountains, in Vermont, are the longest range. 



216 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

The lakes are quite small, and the rivers are short 
and full of rapids and falls. Moosehead is the largest 
lake, and the Connecticut is the longest river. 




A New England Homestead. 

The climate is cool. The winters are long, but the 
summers are very pleasant. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of New England.) Find the 
States, mountains, river, and lake named in this lesson. Tell what 
surrounds Maine, beginning at the north. This is called bound- 
ing Maine. Bound each State. Find an island belonging to 
Maine ; two islands belonging to Massachusetts. 



XXII. — BUSINESS AND CITIES. 

New England is not a great farming country ; for the 
rough, stony land is hard to till, and many of the people 
prefer to get a living in some other way. Vermont is the 
only State where farming is the chief business. The others 
take advantage of their rapid streams for driving mill 
wheels, and their fine harbors for commerce. Besides these 



BUSINESS AND CITIES. 



217 



occupations, Maine produces lumber, and builds ships, and 
Massachusetts sends many men to the fisheries. Vermont 
furnishes marble, and other States granite. Massachusetts 
and Rhode Island are more densely peopled than any other 
States in the Union. 

The leading- occupations in New England are manu- 
facturing and commerce. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, 
and Connecticut manufacture most, and have the largest 
cities. Massachusetts has most commerce. 




A Manufacturing Village. 



Boston is the largest city in New England. It has 
nearly five hundred thousand inhabitants, and is next 
to New York in the extent of its commerce. 



218 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

Providence, the second, is a large manufacturing 
city. New Haven is the seat of Yale College. 

Lowell is famous for its cotton mills, and Worcester 
for its machinery. Cambridge contains Harvard Uni- 
versity, the oldest college in New England. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of New England.) Which 
two States have the most seacoast ? How do they make it nseful ? 
How does the map show the largest city in a State ? (The name has 
a line drawn under it.) How the capital? One State has two 
capitals ; which is it ? What are they ? How is Newport situated ? 
Find all the cities named in the lesson. Which of these are capi- 
tals? Find the other capital cities. Find a bay on the coast; a 
sound ; two capes ; four islands near the coast. Find two lakes ; 
the five rivers which look the longest. 



XXIII. -MAP LESSON. 



Note. — To locate an island, tell its direction from the nearest 
coast ; mountains or lakes, tell in what part, of what State, each is ; 
rivers, tell where each rises, the course it takes, and the water into 
which it flows ; cities, tell what and how situated each is. Thus : 
Portland, the largest city of Maine, is situated in the southwestern 
part of the State, on the coast. 

Bound. Locate. 

Maine. Mount Desert Island, Moose'-head Lake, Pe-nob'- 

scot Kiver, Ken-ne-bec' River, Au-gus'-ta, 
Port'-land. 

New Hamp'-shire. White Mountains, Mer'-ri-mac River, Con '-cord, 
Man'-ches-ter. 

Ver-mont'. Green Mountains, Lake Champlain, Mont-pe'- 

li-er, Burlington. 

Mas-sa-chu'-setts. Cape Cod, Cape Ann, Nan-tuck'-et, Marthas Vine- 
yard, Boston, Lo'-well, Wor'-ces-ter (Woos'- 
ter), Cam'-bridge. 

Connecticut. Long Island Sound, Con-nect'-i-cut River, Hart'- 

ford, New Haven. 

Rhode Island. Nar-ra-gan'-sett Bay, Prov'-i-dence, New'-port. 



220 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



XXIV. -REVIEW. 

XXI. How many States in New England? Name them. 
When and where was the first settlement ? What sort of country 
is New England? Where are the level lands? What and where 
are the highest mountains ? What and where is the longest range ? 
What is peculiar about the lakes and streams? Name the largest 
lake ; the longest river. What is the climate of New England? 

XXII. What are the leading occupations in New England? 
What else is done ? What State makes farming most important ? 
Which States lead in manufacturing? Which are most densely 
peopled? Which have the largest cities? What is the largest city 
in New England? The second in size? What is interesting 
about New Haven? Lowell? Worcester? Cambridge? 

XXIII. Write the names of the States, mountains, rivers, and 
cities learned in Lesson XXIII. 



XXV. -MIDDLE STATES. 
(Part I., Pages 37-47.) 

These are the States which lie west and south of New 
England, in the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic 
Plain. They are rich in farming land, water power, and 
beds of coal and iron. The English made their first settle- 
ment this side of the Atlantic, near the mouth of James 
Kiver, in 1607 ; and the Dutch at the mouth of the Hudson, 
seven years later. 

The Middle States are seven, — New York, New 
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 
and West Virginia. 

Mountains extend from northeastern New York to 
southwestern Virginia. The Adirondacks are the 
highest ; and the Alleghany range is the longest. 



BUSINESS AND CITIES. 



221 



There are rich farming lands in the lower districts, 
while the mountain regions are mostly given up to 
forests, or used as pasturage for sheep and cattle. 

The Hudson is the most important river. 




Locks on the Erie Canal, at Lockport. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Middle Atlantic States.) 
Find the States, mountains, and rivers named in this lesson. What 
rivers do you see, about which you have read? Find James River. 
Find Lake Ontario ; Niagara River. What do you know (pp. 51, 
52) about them ? Who made the first settlement in New York, 
and where ? The picture shows you some " locks " in the Erie 
Canal : what have you read about this canal ? The locks enable 
boats to pass from one level in the bed of the canal to another. 



XXVI. -BUSINESS AND CITIES. 
(Part I., Pages 12, 19, 37, 46, 62.) 

This is a better farming region than New England ; for 
there is more good land, and the climate is warmer. The four 
southern are chiefly farming States, raising grain, tobacco, 



222 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



and fruits. In the other three, manufacturing, mining, and 
commerce are also very important. Long Island and central 
New Jersey are hardly more than vast gardens for supplying 
the great cities with fruits and vegetables. The mountain 
forests employ many people in lumbering ; and large num- 
bers work at the oyster beds and other coast fisheries. 

Agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and commerce 
are the leading occupations. Pennsylvania leads in 
mining, New York in manufacturing and commerce. 




Newark, N.J. 

The three northern States in this group, and the three 
southern in New England, constitute the leading manu- 
facturing and commercial region in the United States. 

Many of the greatest cities of the Union are in the 
Middle States. New York, the largest city in the 
western hemisphere, contains about three and a half mil- 
lions of people. Its commerce extends to all important 
countries, and it has a great amount of other business. 



REVIEW. 223 

Manhattan is its chief borough. 

The borough of Brooklyn, on Long Island is opposite 
Manhattan. 

Philadelphia is famous for manufacturing. It has 
more than a million of people. 

Baltimore is a great market for tobacco and grain. 

The other large cities are Pittsburg, Buffalo, Wash- 
ing-ton, Newark, and Jersey City. But there are many 
fine cities of smaller size. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Middle States.) "What 
great water route (p. 46) crosses New York? Where does it reach 
the coast? What cities are there for the gardens of Long Island 
and New Jersey to supply ? Find each of the great cities named 
in this lesson. What have you read about the first three? About 
the next three? On the opposite page you see a part of Newark, 
with its smoking factory chimneys. Like Pittsburg, it is a famous 
place for manufacturing. Jersey City is situated like Brooklyn, 
with only a river separating it from the borough of Manhattan. 
Find the capital of each State ; of the United States. 



XXVII. -REVIEW. 



XXV. Name the Middle States. When and where were the 
first settlements in these States ? What part of this region is 
mountainous? Name the highest mountains; the principal range. 
Where are the good farming lands? Name the most important 
rivers. What large river begins in Pennsylvania? What State 
has most lakes? Describe the climate. 

XXVI. Wliat are the chief occupations ? Which are mostly 
farming States ? What do they raise ? What States form the 
greatest manufacturing and commercial region in the country? 
What State leads in these occupations? In mining? What great 
cities are there in these States? Which one is largest? What 
have you learned about New York? About Philadelphia? Balti- 
more? Name the other large cities in these States. 



224 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



XXVIII. -MAP LESSON. 

Bound. L,ocate. 

New York. Long Island, Adirondack Mountains, Catskill 

Mountains, Hudson River, Albany, New York, 
Buffalo. 

New Jersey. Cape May, Delaware River, Trenton, Newark, 

Jersey City. 

Penn-syl-va'-ni-a. Alleghany Mountains, Blue Ridge, Susquehanna 
River, Ohio River, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, 
Pittsburg. 

Delaware. Delaware Bay, Do'-ver, Wilmington. 

Ma'-ry-land. Chesapeake Bay, Po-to'-mac River, An-nap'-o- 

lis, Baltimore. 

Vir-gin'-i-a. Blue Ridge Mountains, James River, Rich- 

mond. 

West Virginia. Alleghany Mountains, Wheel'-ing. 

Dist. Co-lum'-bi-a. Washington. 

How would you go by water from Albany to Philadelphia? 
From Philadelphia to Baltimore? From Baltimore to Washing- 
ton? From New York to Richmond? From Buffalo to New 
York? Write the names of all States, mountains, rivers, and cities 
learned in Lesson XXVIII. 



XXIX. — SOUTHERN STATES. 
(Part I., Pages 33-37.) 

In the journey down the Mississippi we saw cotton growing 
soon after passing the month of the Ohio. All the States 
lying farther south than this, whether in the Atlantic Plain or 
in the Central Plain, produce cotton, and most of them make 
it their principal crop : hence all of them together are some- 
times called the cotton States. Four border on the Atlantic, 
four on the Gulf, and two are inland. Those on the coast 
are often called the /South Atlantic States and Gulf States. 




"West from 77 



226 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



There are ten cotton-growing States, — North Caro- 
lina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mis- 
sissippi, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas 
[Ar' -kan-smv~\ . The surface consists mostly of very 
productive plains. The Black Mountains in North 
Carolina are the loftiest part of the Appalachian system. 




Square in San Antonio, Tex. 

This is the warmest portion of the United States. 
The winter is mild everywhere, and the southernmost 
parts rarely have freezing weather. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Southern States.) Which 
is not shown on this map? Find it on the map of the United 
States. Which States extend farthest south? Which lie farthest 
north ? Find the States, mountains, and rivers named in this les- 
son. Why is this the warmest part of the United States ? Bound 
each State, and name its capital. The picture shows a small part 
of San Antonio, in Texas. It is one of the oldest towns in America. 



BUSINESS AND CITIES. 227 

XXX. — BUSINESS AND CITIES. 
(Part I., Pages 9, 10, 35, 36.) 

Ever since these States were settled, agriculture has been 
their main business, — until recently almost the only one. 
This is not strange, because the level surface and rich soil 
make cultivation easy and crops abundant ; and the market, 
too, is sure, for the climate favors the growth of things 
needed for use where they cannot be produced. But the 
Southern States have stores of coal and iron and abundant 
water power, which are now used in manufacturing, especially 
in Georgia. A few cities owe their growth to their manu- 
factures, but most depend on the cotton trade for business. 

Agriculture is the main business of these States. 
Besides the great cotton crop, rice grows on lowlands 







1 1 






s 


Kb|e - ^-j^-^Li^ 


--^.../": ' 


-"- ' ~ ~ , 











New Orleans, La. 



along the coast, and the warmest portions produce sugar 
and tropical fruits. 

Manufacturing' increases rapidly. Iron and cotton 
manufactures take the lead. 



228 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

New Orleans is the only great city. It is the main 
center of the Mississippi trade, and the largest cotton 
market in the world. 

Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, Galveston, and Mem- 
phis are cotton markets. Atlanta and Birmingham 
have extensive iron works, and Augusta has cotton mills. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Southern States.) In 
what part of our country can these States sell their cotton? Why 
is not cotton raised in New England ? The coal and iron come 
mainly from the mountains. AVhich States would you suppose 
have the most water power? Why? Find the cotton markets 
named in the lesson ; the manufacturing cities ; the largest city in 
each State. (Dallas is the largest in Texas.) What have you 
read about New Orleans ? Find the capital of each State. The 
cotton States have not very many good harbors for large vessels. 




230 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



XXXII. — REVIEW. 

XXTX. Name the Southern States. What is their general 
surface? What mountains in this region? Name the principal 
range; the highest part of the Appalachian system. How high 
are the Black Mountains? What great river crosses the cotton 
States? Describe the climate. 

XXX. What is the main occupation of these States? The 
chief crop? What else is raised? What other business is now 
important ? What kinds of manufactures ? How many great 
cities in the cotton States? How is New Orleans important? 
What is the business of the other cities ? Name the cotton mar- 
kets ; the manufacturing cities. 

Write about the country in the southern parts of the Atlantic 
and Central Plains (pp. 9, 35, 36). Write the names of all States, 
rivers, mountains, and cities learned in Lesson XXXI. 



XXXIII. -CENTRAL STATES. 
(Part I., Pages 29-32, 47-50.) 

The middle and northern portion of the Central Plain con- 
tains thirteen States, which together are called the Central 
States, and two Territories. Two of the States lie in the 
higher prairies west of the Missouri : Oklahoma and Indian 
Territory border these. The Central States have access to 
the Gulf by the Mississippi and its tributaries ; and to the 
Atlantic by the Great Lakes, the Erie Canal, and the 
Hudson, or by the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence. 

The Central States are thirteen, — Kentucky, Ohio, 
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, 
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South 
Dakota. 

The surface consists principally of very fertile plains, 



CENTRAL STATES. 



231 



West of the Mississippi 



partly rolling and partly flat, 
most of the country 
is prairie land. 

The Mississippi 
river, the Missouri, 
and the Ohio flow 
through the Cen- 
tral States, making 
a navigable water 
course of great 
value. The Great 
Lakes border these 
States, and Minne- 
sota has many small 
lakes. 

At the extreme 
north the summer 
is rather short, but 
hot; the winter long 

and Cold. At the Chicago Stock Yard. 

south the summer is much longer, and the winter is mild. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Central States.) Which 
States are shown here ? Which great lakes ? Which great lake is 
wholly in the Central States? In what State is most of Lake 
Michigan? What other States border on it? What States bor- 
der on Lake Superior ? Huron? Erie? Mississippi River? Ohio 
River? What river do you see on the western boundary of Minne- 
sota ? Where (map of North America) does this stream reach the 
sea? A lake feeding the Minnesota almost touches one feeding the 
Red River; where do its waters reach the sea? Eind Minnesota 
River; Illinois; Cumberland; Des Moines. Bound each State 
(map of the United States for Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dako- 
tas). Bound Oklahoma; Indian Territory. Find their capitals. 
(See map of United States for Oklahoma and Indian Territory.) 




232 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



XXXIV. -BUSINESS AND CITIES. 
(Part I., Pages 22, 33, 48.) 

The Central States might be called the grain farm and 
pasture of the Union ; for grain growing and stock raising- 
are as important here as cotton planting farther south. The 
surface and soil are as good here as there; but the crops are 
different on account of the climate. This region has in- 




A Grain Elevator. 



creased very rapidly in population and wealth, and has 
large, rich cities. West of. the Mississippi there are not 
so many people as there are farther east ; but many thou- 
sands are going there every year. 

Agriculture is the main "business of the Central 



BEVIEW. 233 

States. Wheat and corn are the great crops ; but to- 
bacco is important in Kentucky and Missouri. 

Great numbers of horses, cattle, sheep, and swine are 
also raised here. 

Manufacturing" is fast increasing. It consists mostly 
of flouring, curing and packing meat, and making tools 
and machinery for farming. 

Copper is mined on the southern shore of Lake 
Superior, and iron, lead, and coal in several places. 

The greatest cities are Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, 
and Cleveland. Next come Milwaukee, Detroit, Min- 
neapolis, Louisville, Omaha, St. Paul, Kansas City, and 
Indianapolis. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Central States.) Find 
each of the cities named in the lesson. Which are on the Lakes? 
On the Mississippi? On the Ohio? What do you know about 
Chicago? St. Louis? Cincinnati? What tobacco States (p. 222) 
have you learned of farther east? Which (p. 209) grows farther 
north — wheat, or corn? Find the capital of each State; the 
largest city in each. What do you know (p. 29) about Minne- 
apolis and St. Paul. There are rapids at Louisville, but boats go 
up the Ohio all the way to Pittsburg : how do you suppose they 
get past the rapids ? (By a canal.) 



XXXV. -REVIEW. 



XXXIII. Name the Central States. What part of the Central 
Plain is mostly prairie land? What great streams and lakes in 
this region? Which great lake is wholly in the Central States? 
Describe the climate. Which two Territories lie in the Central 
Plain? What States do they border? 

XXXIV. What is the great business of the Central States? 
The leading crops? Which States produce tobacco? What to- 
bacco States have you learned of farther east? Which grows 



234 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



farther north — wheat, or corn? What manufacturing is done in 
the Central States? What mining? What great cities in the 
Central States? What do you know about Chicago? St. Louis? 
Cincinnati? Which cities are next them in size? 



Bound. 

Kentucky. 

Ohio. 

Indiana. 

Illinois. 

Michigan. 

Wisconsin. 

Minnesota. 

Iowa. 

Missouri. 

Kansas. 

Nebraska. 

North Dakota. 

South Dakota. 

Oklahoma. 

Indian Ter. 



XXXVI. -MAP LESSON. 

Locate. 

Cum'-ber-land Eiver, Frank ; -fort, Lou'-is-ville. 

Ohio River, Co-lum'-bus, Cincinnati, Cleve'-land. 

Wabash River, In-di-an-ap'-o-lis. 

Illinois River, Springfield, Chicago. 

Lake Michigan, Mackinac Strait, Lansing, Detroit. 

Wisconsin River, Mad'-i-son, Mil-wau'-kee. 

Itasca Lake, Mississippi River, St. Paul, Minneapolis. 

Des Moines River (De Moin'), Des Moines (city). 

Mis-sou'-ri River, Jefferson City, St. Louis. 

To-pe'-ka, Kansas City, Leav '-en- worth. 

Platte River, Lincoln, O'-ma-ha. 

Bismarck. 

Black Hills, Pierre, Sioux Falls. 

(Map of United States.) Guthrie. 

(Map of United States.) Tahlequah. 



Write the names of all the States, lakes, rivers, and cities learned 
in Lesson XXXVI. 



XXXVII. -THE PACIFIC STATES. 
(Part L, Pages 65-70.) 

In some respects, this is the most remarkable portion of 
the United States. The highest two mountain systems are 
here; the only great table-land is between them; and the 
only part of the country which does not naturally produce 
useful plants is on the table-land. Here, too, are smoking 
volcanoes, spouting geysers, and canons so narrow and deep 
that the streams at the bottom of them cannot be used even 
for moistening the soil. 



236 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



This group contains nine States and two Territories. 

The States are : Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado, 
crossed by the Rocky Mountains ; Idaho, Utah, and 
Nevada, lying on the great table-land ; Washington, 

Oregon, and California, 
upon the Pacific coast. The 
Territories are Arizona and 
New Mexico, on the table- 
land. 

On the table-land, ex- 
cepting in Idaho, the coun- 
try is so dry that not much 
of the surface is fit for agri- 
culture, except where it can 
be irrigated. 

The Rocky Mountain 
States are all rich in silver 
and gold, and Montana has 

An Indian Papoose. very productive COpper 

mines. Colorado, in 1895, produced more gold than 
any other State in the Union ; and the United States, 
more than any other country in the world. 

The Pacific States have the broadest and most fertile 
valleys in the high western half of the United States. 
California was once the greatest gold State ; but much 
has since been discovered in Colorado and elsewhere. 




Exercise. — (Open books to map of Pacific States.) Find each 
State and Territory named in the map. Which are crossed by the 
Rocky Mountains? Which by the Sierra Nevada and Cascade 
Mountains? Bound each State; each Territory. Find Missouri 
River; Yellowstone; Colorado; Columbia; Great Salt Lake. Find 
Yellowstone Park. Write about the table-land. 



BUSINESS AND CITIES. 237 

XXXVIII. -BUSINESS AND CITIES. 

(Part I., Pages 70-74.) 

A large part of this vast region is unfit, by nature, for 
many kinds of business. But even the dry table-land is 
productive where the surface can be irrigated. This is done 
by leading water from some stream, through artificial chan- 
nels, and distributing it over the ground where it is needed. 
Much fine farming- land has been thus made. 




California Fruit Rancn. 

The three States bordering on the Pacific are more 
uniformly settled than the others in this extensive 
division. Elsewhere there are few people except in 
the mining districts and along the lines of the railroad. 

In Montana, Idaho, and the States on the Pacific, 
immense areas are given to cattle raising, wool grow- 
ing, and wheat farming. Washington and Oregon 
have vast forests and excellent fisheries. 

California, besides wheat farms, has large districts 
devoted to. orchards and vineyards. Great quantities 
of fruit are shipped to eastern markets. San Fran- 
cisco, in California, is the chief city. 



238 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

Others are Sacramento, the capital of California ; 
Portland, in Oregon ; Tacoma and Seattle, in Wash- 
ington ; Salt Lake City, in the irrigated lands of Utah ; 
and Denver, in Colorado, the center of business for 
the mining region. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Pacific States.) Find 
San Francisco. Find the largest city in each State; the capital of 
each. Find Salt Lake City. Write about the discovery of gold. 
(Page 72.) 

XXXIX. -MAP LESSON. 

Bound. Locate. 

Montana. Yellowstone River, Missouri River, Helena. 

Wyoming. Yellowstone Park, Black Hills, Cheyenne'. 

Colorado. Rocky Mountains, Denver, Leadville. 

New Mexico. Rio Grande, Santa Fe, Albuquerque. 

Idaho. Boise, Idaho City. 

Utah. Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake City. 

Arizona. Phcenix, Tucson. 

Nevada. Colorado River, Carson City, Virginia City. 

Washington. Cape Flattery, Olympia, Seattle. 

Oregon. Cascade Mountains, Columbia River, Salem, Portland. 

California. Sierra Nevada Mountains, Sacramento, San Francisco. 



XL. -REVIEW. 



XXX VII. Name the Pacific States and Territories. What 
kind of surface has this region? What large barren district? 
W r hat is the highest land in the United States? How high is 
Mount Whitney? What is peculiar about the lakes and streams 
in this region? Describe the climate. 

XXXVIII. What parts of this region have most people? Where 
are gold and silver found? What pursuits are important in Cali- 
fornia? in Oregon? What can you say about San Francisco? 
Denver? Salt Lake City? Name the capital and largest city of 
each State. 

XXXIX. Write the names of the States, Territories, moun- 
tains, rivers, and cities learned in Lesson XXXIX. 




PACIFIC STATES 

AND 

TERRITORIES 

SCALE OF 
50 100 



118 Longitude 114 West from 110 Greenwich 106 



240 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



XLI.-COLD COUNTRIES OP NORTH AMERICA. 

(Part I., Pages 52-56, 78-82.) 

We have learned that the greater part of this continent, 
north of the United States, is a cold forest land with few 




Montreal. 

inhabitants bnt Indians, and that the Arctic shores, where 
the Eskimos live, are colder and almost barren. In the sea 
to the northeast, are Greenland and Iceland, which belong 
to Denmark. All of the northern part of the continent, 
except Alaska, belongs to Great Britain. It is divided into 
several provinces, which together form the Dominion of 
Canada. Montreal is the only great city of the Dominion, 
but Quebec is older. 



THE WARM, SOUTHERN COUNTRIES. 241 

Newfoundland also belongs to Great Britain. It is not 
a part of the Dominion of Canada, but has a separate 
government. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Xorth America.) Find 
Greenland; Iceland; Alaska. To what countries do they belong ? 
Find the Dominion of Canada. Find three great rivers in it ; three 
large lakes. You remember Red River on the western boundary 
of Minnesota (see map, p. 235) ; into what lake does it flow? Find 
Montreal ; Quebec. Write what you know (pp. 53, 51) about them. 



XLII. — THE WARM, SOUTHERN COUNTRIES. 
(Part I., Pages 82-88.) 

We know that the countries of North America at the south 
of us are as much warmer than ours, as those north of us 
are colder. We remember the hot coast lands, with their 
abundance of interesting and valuable plants ; and the grad- 
ual change as the land rises, until in the high, cool interior, 
the fields and forests look almost like our own. We have 
read, too, of terrific volcanoes in these countries, and of 
earthquakes that shake clown people's houses ; and have 
found that, after all, a country of continual summer may 
not be the pleasantest place in the world to live in. 

South of the United States, are the hot countries of 
Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. 

Mexico is a republic, made up of many small States, 
united under one government. Mexico, its capital, is 
on a high table-land in the interior. 

Central America consists of small, separate republics 
of not much importance. 

The West Indies include four large islands, and a 
great number of very small ones. Cuoa and Haiti are 
much the largest. The island of Cuba is famous for 



242 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



the production of sugar cane and tobacco. Havana is 
its capital and largest city. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of North America.) Find 
Mexico; Central America; Cuba; Haiti. What line passes just 
north of Cuba? In what zone are these hot countries? In what 
zone is the northern part of Mexico? Do you suppose this part 
to be cooler, or warmer, than the southern ? Why ? What small 
islands of the W T est Indies lie north of the tropic? The little one 
farthest east was the first laud found by Columbus. Its name is 
Salvador. 



XLIII.-MAP LESSON. 



Bound. 



North America. 

Dominion of Canada. 

United States. 

Mexico. 

Central America. 

A-las'-ka. 

New'-found-land. 

Cuba. 

Hai'-ti. 



Locate. 

Greenland. 
Iceland. 

Ja-mai'-ca (-ma'-). 
Hudson Bay. 
Gulf of Mexico. 
Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
Gulf of California. 
Car-ib-be'-an Sea. 
Pan-a-ma' Isthmus. 



Montreal. 

Ot'-ta-wa. 

Washington. 

Chicago. 
Philadelphia. 
New York. 
San Francisco. 
Mexico (city). 
Ha-van'-a. 



XLIV.- REVIEW. 

XLI. What is Danish America ? To what country does the 
northern part of North America belong? What part of the 
Dominion of Canada is peopled by civilized men ? How is it 
divided? What island forms a separate province? How is the 
Dominion governed ? What is the capital ? Name the other chief 
cities. 

XLII. What countries lie south of the United States ? What is 
Mexico ? What and where is its capital ? Of what does Central 
America consist ? What do the West Indies include ? Name the 
largest two islands? What is interesting about Cuba? What is 
its chief city ? 



SOUTH AMERICA. 



XL V.- COUNTRIES OF THE PLAINS. 

(Part I., Pages 89-96, 102-107.) 

South America is a remarkable continent. It has the 
highest mountains on the globe excepting the Himalaya, 
the most extensive forests in the world, and vast treeless 
plains that at one season are covered with the richest vege- 
tation, and at another are parched by the sun and swept by 
flames until they seem like a desert. It lies mainly in the 
Torrid Zone; yet even here the valleys between the Andes 
have the temperature of spring, and the tops bear snow 
throughout the year. All the countries of South America 
are republics, excepting Guiana, which is a small mountain 
land, belonging to countries in Europe. 

The hard names in this lesson are pronounced thus : — 

Bra-zil', Ven-e-zwee'-la, Pah-rah-gwi', Oo-roo-gwi', Ar-jen-te'-na, 
Re'-o de Zha-na'-e-ro, Bo'-nus A'-riz, Gee-ah'-na. 

The plains of South America contain five countries, 
— Brazil, Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argen- 
tina. 

Brazil includes the larger part of the silvas, and has 
valuable gold districts. There are few people except 
in the coast regions. 

Agriculture is the chief pursuit, and coffee the prirx- 

244 



COUNTRIES OF THE PLAINS. 



245 



cipal crop. Rio de Janeiro, the capital, is the greatest 

coffee market in the world. Bahia is also a large city. 

Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay 

contain the vast llanos, pampas, and other treeless 
plains. 

Cattle raising is the niain business, with agriculture 
in some of the best districts. 

Buenos Ayres, and Montevideo, on the La Plata, are 
the only large cities in these four countries. They are 
famous markets for hides, horns, and tallow. 




Plaza, Buenos Ayres. 



Exercise. — (Open books to map of South America.) Find 
Guiana. What is it? Bound each of the countries of the plains. 
Find their capitals. Which of these countries is the largest? 
Which are in the Torrid Zone? In what zone are the others? 
Which part of these temperate countries is warmest ? Why ? On 
the Amazon where do you see the sun at noon? In our country, 
where? In Uruguay, where? Why? (One must always look 
toward the Torrid Zone to see the sun at noon.) What (p. 05) 
are the silvas ? What (p. 102) are the llanos ? What (p. 105) are 
the pampas ? 



246 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



XL VI. — COUNTRIES OF THE ANDES. 
(Part L, Pages 97-101.) 

You remember that the Andes extend along the whole 
western coast of South America, shutting off from the Pacific 
all the rich plains. You know that the larger part is a 
great double range, with a long, high, wide valley between the 




A Scene in Ecuador, S.A. 

tops. The mountains are highest, and the tops of the two 
ridges widest apart, in the middle portion, where the inner 
valley contains a large lake. Here, in the eastern ridge, 
are peaks which are nearly five miles high. The hard 
names of this lesson are pronounced on p. 248. 

The countries of the Andes are Colombia, Ecuador, 
Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. All but Chile extend across 



REVIEW. 247 

the mountains into the silvas. All are torrid except 
Chile, which has a climate similar to our own. 

These countries all have rich deposits of gold, silver, 
and copper ; but Chile is the only one which attends 
much to mining-. 

In the four torrid countries most of the people live 
in the valleys among the Andes, which have a better 
climate than the lowlands. 

Santiago, the capital of Chile, Valparaiso also in Chile, 
and Lima, the capital of Peru, are the largest cities on 
the west side of the Andes. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of South America.) Name 
the countries of the Andes ; their capitals. Do these cities seem 
to be among the mountains, or in the lowlands ? Why do people 
prefer to live in the highlands? Where do you see lakes in the 
wide valley ? The highest mountains lie east of that largest lake ; 
what capital is near them ? 



XL VII. -REVIEW. 



XLV. Name the countries of the plains. What is the chief 
pursuit in Brazil ? The principal crop ? What minerals has Bra- 
zil? What part is most peopled? What great cities has Brazil? 
What do you know about Rio de Janeiro? What is the chief 
business of the other countries of the plains? What are the 
largest cities of these four countries ? 

XL VI. What countries are crossed by the Andes ? Which one 
is on the west side? What is the climate of these countries? 
What valuable minerals have they? In which one is most atten- 
tion given to mining? What is the best part of the torrid coun- 
tries to live in ? Why ? What are the two greatest cities on the 
Pacific side of the mountains? Where and how high are the 
eastern Andes? 



248 



GEOGRAPHICAL PEIMEE. 



XL VIII. — MAP LESSON. 



Bound. 



a'-na. 



Git: 

Ven-e-zue'-la. 

Bra-zil'. 

Pa-ra-guay'. 

U-ru-guay'. 

Ar-gen-ti'-na. 

Chi'-le. 

Bo-Liv'-I-A. 

Pe-ru'. 

Ec-ua-dor' (-wa-), 
Co-lom'-bi-a. 



Locate. 

Cape Horn. 
Ti-er'-ra del Fu-e'-go. 
Andes Mountains. 
Am'-a-zon River. 
Pa-ra-na' River (-nah'). 
La Pla'-ta River. 
Orinoco River. 
Ca-ra'-cas (-rah'-). 
Rio de Janeiro. 
A-sun'-ci-on. 
Mon-te-vid'-e-o. 



Buenos Ay res. 

San-ti-a'-go (-ah 1 -). 

Li'-ma. 

La Paz (Lah). 

Qui'-to (Ke 1 -). 

George '-town. 

Par-a-mar'-i-bo. 

Ca-yenne'. 

Bo-go-ta' (-tali 1 ). 

Val-pa-rai'-so (-ri'~). 

Ba-hi'-a (-e'-). 



XLIX.- WESTERN HEMISPHERE (Examination). 

What two continents in the western hemisphere? How are 
they connected? In what zone is most of North America? Most 
of South America ? What part of North America is in the Torrid 
Zone? What part of South America is in the Temperate Zone? 
Name the countries of North America ; of South America. What 
parts of each continent belong to European governments ? Which 
is the most important country of North America? Of South Amer- 
ica? What is the government of the United States? Of Brazil? 
Of all the other independent countries of the New World ? 

Of what does the United States consist? Name the States; 
the Territories ; the capital. In what part of the United States 
are manufacturing and commerce most important? In what parts 
is agriculture the great business ? What is the chief crop of the 
Southern States? Of the Central? Where are coal and iron 
mined? Gold and silver? Copper? Name the great cities of the 
United States, — naming, in New England, one; in the Middle 
States, three; in the Southern States, one; in the Central States, 
three ; in the Pacific States, one. 

Name the largest city in the Dominion of Canada ; in Mexico ; 
in the West Indies. Name the largest cities of South America, — 
on the eastern coast, three; on the western, two. 




AMERICA 

Capitals o Cities, Towns 

/ / 



87 Longitude 67 West 67 from 47 Greenwich 



EUROPE. 



L.-THB CONTINENT. 

Europe lies east of the Atlantic, opposite the northern 
half of North America. It extends only about as far south 
as Cape Hatteras. One would suppose that the climate would 
be like that of the regions opposite on the American coast ; 
but a large part is really very much warmer. Europe is the 
smallest of the continents, except Australia; and has a coast 
more broken than any of the others. The whole south- 
western part is like a great peninsula, lying between the 
Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic. The countries of 
Europe are all monarchies except France and Switzerland. 

Eastern Europe is a great low plain, with mountains 
only on its borders. The longest river is the Volga. 

Western Europe consists mostly of mountain lands 
and valleys, with small plains and table-lands. 

The Alps are the highest mountains. The loftiest 
peak, Mont Blanc, is nearly three miles high. 

The Danube, the Rhine, and the Rhone are the prin- 
cipal rivers of western Europe. 

The climate, in all the coast countries, is much 
warmer than in coast regions opposite in America. 
Eastern Europe is cooler than western Europe. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Europe, p. 267.) Name 
the oceans which border upon Europe; the seas and bays along the 
coast; a cluster of islands off the west coast; four islands in the 
Mediterranean. Find the mountains and rivers named in the lesson. 
Name the countries bordering upon the Mediterranean ; upon the 

250 



THE BRITISH ISLES. 



251 



Atlantic ; the great country of eastern Europe ; the small coun- 
tries which touch the Black Sea ; a little country between Italy 
and the German Empire. What (p. 210) is a republic? 



LI. -THE BRITISH ISLES. 
(Part I., Pages 113-121.) 

The British Isles together form the " United Kingdom of 
Great Britain and Ireland." The government has great 
possessions in America, Australia, Asia, and other parts of 
the world; and all these together form the British Empire. 
The British possessions are so scattered on all parts of the 
globe that people often say, 
"The sun never sets on the 
British flag," by which they 
mean, that there is never a time 
when it is not day in some coun- 
try belonging to Great Britain. 



Great Britain is but little 
larger than the State of Min- 
nesota, yet it contains more 
than half as many people as 
the United States. England 
is the richest and most popu- 
lous part. 

Manufacturing and com- 
merce are the chief occupa- 
tions, but great care is given 
to agriculture. The leading 
manufactures are cotton, woolen, and linen 
articles made from iron and steel. 

GEOG. READ. & PRIM. 17 




and 



252 GEOGRAPHICAL PBIMEB. 

England has more great cities than any other country 
of its size. 

London is the capital of the British Empire, and is 
the largest city on the globe. It contains more than 
four millions of people. 

Liverpool is the great seaport of northern England. 

Manchester is the leading city of the world in cotton 
manufactures, and Birmingham in iron works. 

Leeds is celebrated for its manufactures of wool. 

Glasgow, in Scotland, is famous for the iron steam- 
ships built there ; and Edinburgh for its university. 

Dublin is the most important city in Ireland. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of British Isles.) Name the 
waters which separate Great Britain from the continent ; Ireland 
from Great Britain. Name the different parts of Great Britain. 
Which includes the largest part of the island? Which has most 
of the great cities ? Find all the cities named in the lesson. Read 
what is said in Part I, (pp. 116, 117) about London ; about Man- 
chester and Liverpool (p. 118) ; about Edinburgh (p. 120). 

There are other large cities in England, about which you will like 
to learn at another time; and there are smaller ones which are 
very interesting. Find Cambridge ; Oxford. At these two places 
are the old and celebrated English universities, of which we often 
hear. There is also a famous university in Ireland, at Dublin. 



LIL-MAP LESSON. 

Bound. Locate. 

England. Strait of Dover, Lands End, Wales, Thames (Temz) 
River, London, Liverpool, Manchester, Bir'-ming- 
ham, Leeds, Cambridge, Ox'-ford. 

Scotland. Heb'-ri-des Islands, Glas'-gow, EdMn-burgh. 

Ireland. Cape Clear, St. Georges Channel, Dublin, Bel-fast', 

Cork. 



254 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



LIIL— FRANCE, BELGIUM, AND THE NETHER- 
LANDS. 
(Part L, Pages 122-133.) 

These are among the most famous countries of Europe, on 
account of the great number of people they contain, their 
careful farming, and the immense variety of rich and costly 
things they manufacture. Belgium contains more persons 
to each square mile of territory than any other country in 
Europe. France is the only great republic in Europe. 

France, Belgium, and the Netherlands lie on the 

coast of Europe, opposite 
England. 

The chief pursuits of the 
people are agriculture, man- 
ufacturing, and commerce. 

Among their manufac- 
tures are velvets, silks, rib- 
bons, laces, gloves, jewelry, 
elegant cloths, carpets, fur- 
niture, and parlor orna- 
ments. 

Paris is the capital of 
France, and is the largest 
city on the continent of 
Europe. 

Marseilles is the principal 
■ "-- - T B H =j gBsm E~^^2 seaport, and Lyons is cele- 

^ brated for its silk manu- 

A Shepherd of the Landes. f ac tures. 

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is famous for its 
laces and carpets, 




THE NORTH COUNTRIES. 255 

Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, has a very extensive 
commerce. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Europe, p. 267.) Find the 
countries named. Bound each. Find Paris. What have you read 
(p. 126) about it? Turn to the map of Central Europe (p. 263). 
Find Mont Blanc; Lyons; Marseilles. What have you read 
(pp. 128, 129) about these cities? Find Brussels; Amsterdam. 
Many of the merchant ships that come to Amsterdam are laden 
with spices, coffee, medicines, choice woods, and other things from 
far-off lands in the Indies, belonging to the Netherlands. 

Which of these three countries is a republic? In the south- 
western part of France is a plain called the Landes, where the 
people are shepherds. They walk on stilts, and have raised seats 
so as to be able to overlook their flocks. The picture on the oppo- 
site page shows you one of the shepherds, resting on the high seat, 
and knitting. 



LIV.-THB NORTH COUNTRIES. 
(Part I., Pages 133, 131.) 

In the old times these north countries were famous for the 
courage and daring of the people, and their skill as sailors. 
The leaders were often called sea kings. They used to set 
out with their followers, and make voyages along the coast ; 
and when they found an inviting region they would attack 
and often conquer it. Thus they gained possession of parts 
of England and France, and other territories much richer 
than their own. Some of these rovers discovered Iceland 
and Greenland, which still belong to Denmark ; and it is 
said they even sailed as far as the New England coast, long 
before the time of Columbus. 

Denmark, Sweden, and Norway lie on the coast far- 
ther north than the Netherlands. All taken together 
are often called the Scandinavian countries. 

Norway and the western part of Sweden are high, 



256 



GEOGBAPHICAL PRIMER. 



mountainous lands, famous for their forests of tall pines 
and firs, and their iron and copper ores. 

Denmark is a low country. The islands are the best 
parts of it. 

In NorAvay and Sweden many people are employed in 
the fisheries, the forests, and the mines ; but in Den- 
mark the principal occupation is farming. 

The only large cities of the Scandinavian countries 
are their capitals. 

Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is the largest 
and most celebrated of all the Scandinavian cities. 

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is a beautiful city, 

situated on a cluster of islands. 

Exercise. (Open 
books to map of 
Central Europe.) 
Find Denmark. 
Where are the is- 
lands? Find the 
capital. How is it 
situated ? Turn to 
the map of Europe. 
Find Sweden and 
Norway. Find the 
capital of Sweden. 
These two coun- 
tries have the same 
king, but each has 
its own capital. 
Find the capital of 
Norway. What 
parallel near these 
two cities ? Find 
where this paral- 
InStockholm - lei crosses North 

America. What sort of country is that part of North America? 




BEVimV.— TBE SUNNY LANDS. 257 



L.V. — BEVIEW. 

L. Where is Europe? How far south does it extend? What 
is remarkable about its size? Its coast? Describe eastern 
Europe; western Europe. What are the highest mountains in 
Europe? What, and how high, is the loftiest peak? Name the 
chief rivers of western Europe. Describe the climate of Europe. 

LI. Where are the British Isles ? Name the two great islands. 
What kingdom do they form ? What is the British Empire ? How 
large is Great Britain? How populous? What part of the island 
is most important ? W T hat are the leading kinds of business ? The 
principal manufactures ? Name the great cities. Which are in 
England? Which in Scotland? What important city in Ireland? 

LIU. Where are France, Belgium, and the Netherlands? What 
are the chief pursuits of the people ? Name some of the important 
manufactures. Name the largest cities of France ; an important 
city in Belgium ; in the Netherlands. What do you know about 
each of these cities? What distant possessions has the Nether- 
lands? What is the government of France? 

LIV. What and where are the Scandinavian countries? De- 
scribe Norway and Sweden; Denmark. What important pursuits 
in these countries? What are the largest Scandinavian cities? 
What important city in Norway? Write what you know about 
the country in France. 



LVI.-THB SUNNY LANDS. 
(Part I., Pages 135-145, 155-157.) 

Three large peninsulas of Europe border upon the Medi- 
terranean, and are famous for their fine climate, and their 
clear, sunny skies. Though no farther south than the middle 
of the United States, their climate and many important pro- 
ductions are more like those of Florida and Texas than 
Virginia and Kentucky. The eastern and middle peninsulas 
contained the first civilized nations in Europe, — the Greeks 



258 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMEB. 



and Eomans ; and many things still remain there which show 
the wealth and grandeur of those ancient states. 

The peninsulas of southern Europe contain Spain 
and Portugal, Italy, Greece, and European Turkey. 

The surface in many parts is mountainous ; but 
these countries have some of the most fertile valleys 
^and small plains in Europe. 




Eruption of Vesuvius. 

The climate is delightful, with only short, mild 
winters. 

Agriculture is the main business. Fruits, wine, and 
olive oil are the most abundant productions. 

Italy and Spain contain a number of great cities. 
The largest are Naples, Rome, and Milan, in Italy, 
and Madrid, the capital of Spain. Rome, the most 
famous city of ancient times, is the capital of Italy. 



SWITZERLAND AND GERMANY. 



259 



Constantinople is the capital and largest city of 
Turkey; Lisbon, of Portugal; and Athens, of Greece. 
Venice is an old city, built on a cluster of islands. 

Exercise. — (Open books to the 
map of Europe.) Bound the coun- 
tries named. What parallel crosses 
these countries ? Find what States of 
our country are crossed by this paral- 
lel. The peninsulas of southern Eu- 
rope all have high mountains along 
the northern border, shutting off the 
cold north winds. Besides, they are 
near the hot countries of Africa, with 
nothing to interrupt the warm south 
winds. That is one reason why they 
are so much warmer than the mid- 
dle of our country. Find the cities 
named. (Milan is on the map of 
Central Europe.) In what country 
is each ? Read what is said in Part 
I. about Madrid (p. 138), Rome 
(142), Venice (113), Xaples (144), 
Constantinople and Athens (157). 




A Spanish Peasant. 



LVIL- SWITZERLAND AND GERMANY. 
(Part I., Pages 145-153.) 

The great kingdom of Prussia, the smaller kingdoms of 
Saxony, Bavaria, and Wurtemburg, and a number of other 
little states in the middle part of Europe, are all peopled by 
Germans. In 1871 these states united, forming the Empire 
of Germany, and made King William of Prussia their em- 
peror. Germany is celebrated for its schools and its learned 
men, and for the treasures of painting and sculpture, and 
other interesting things, collected in the cities. 



260 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



Switzerland is a small republic, situated among the 
highest mountain lands of Europe. Geneva is its most 
important city. Bern is its capital. 

The kingdom of Prussia and a number of smaller 
states, together form the Empire of Germany. 

The surface of southern Germany is mountainous, 




Dresden Market. 



but the northern part is a plain. The Rhine, which 
flows through the highlands, is the most famous river. 

The climate is cooler than on the coast farther west. 

Farming, wool growing, and manufacturing are the 
leading occupations of the Germans. 

The largest cities are Berlin, Hamburg, and Breslau. 
Munich, Dresden, and Leipzig are also noted. 

Berlin, the capital of Prussia, is also the capital of 
the empire. 



A U STRIA-HUNG AR Y. 



261 



Exercise. — (Open books to map of Central Europe.) Find 
Switzerland. What famous mountain just outside of it? Find 
Geneva. Find Bern. Bound the German Empire. Find Berlin. 
Find Munich. 

Find Hamburg. Find Breslau. Find Dresden and Leipzig. 



LVIII. — AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 

(Part I., Pages 154, 155.) 

The leading state of this great empire is Austria, situated 
in the western highlands 
south of the Danube. 
The Austrians and their 
near neighbors are Ger- 
mans. The other peoples 
of the empire speak dif- 
ferent languages, and are 
very unlike the Austri- 
ans. The kingdom of 
Hungary, in the middle 
part, is the largest divi- 
sion of the empire. 

Austria -Hungary 
lies in central Europe, 
southeast of the Ger- 
man Empire. It con- 
sists of Austria, Hun- 
gary, and a number of 
provinces, united under an Austrian emperor. 

The surface of Hungary is composed largely of plains. 




Street Scene in Austria. 



262 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

The other parts of the empire are generally hilly or 
mountainous. The Danube is the greatest river. 

The climate is warmer than that of Germany. 

The chief pursuit is agriculture, but manufacturing 
and mining are also important. Grain, flax, and wine 
are produced in the rich plains. 

The greatest cities are Vienna, Budapest, and 
Prague. Vienna is the capital of the empire. 

Exercise. — (Open books to map of Europe.) Bound Austria- 
Hungary; find its capital. What have you read (p. 154) about 
Vienna? Turn to the map of Central Europe, and find another 
capital in this empire ; this is the capital of Hungary. The Danube 
flows through it : and, formerly, the parts on the opposite sides of 
the river were separate cities, named Pesth and Buda ; but now 
they are united into one, and its name is Budapest. 

Find Prague. In what province is it ? Bohemia was once a king- 
dom, and Prague was its capital. Find a city directlyeast of Prague. 
There are famous salt mines near Cracow. In the mountains be- 
tween Cracow and Vienna, are the most productive gold and silver 
mines in Europe. What parts of Italy and France are shown in 
this map ? Where will you find the rest? (On map of Europe.) 



LIX.-MAP LESSON. 



Bound. Locate. 

German Empire. Rhine River, Ber'-lin, Bres'-lau, Hamburg, 
Dres'-den, Leip'-zig, Munich. 

Austria-Hungary. Alps Mountains, Danube River, Vienna, Bu'- 
da-pest, Prague. 

Switzerland. Alps Mountains, Geneva, Bern. 

The Netherlands. Rhine River, The Hague (Hag), Amsterdam. 

Belgium. Brus'sels. 

Denmark. Co-pen-ha'-gen. 

Italy. Alps Mountains, Po River, Mi-lan', Venice. 

France. Mont Blanc, Rhone River, Lyons. 



CENTRAL s^ cr 
EUROPE 

® Capitals o Cities, Towns 




Longitude 



264 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



LX.- RUSSIA AND ROUMANIA. 

(Part L, Pages 158, 159.) 

Eussia and the little kingdom of Eoumania lie in the 
great plain of eastern Europe. We have already noticed 
the frozen lands on the Arctic shores, the vast country south 
of them, and the smaller forests among cultivated lands that 
fill the middle portion of Eussia. In the south, west of the 



.: 




A Friendly Chat. 

river Don, are rich prairies, almost like those of the Missis- 
sippi. Towards the Caspian, the land is poor, and the best 
parts are only pasture grounds. In some respects they are 
much like the pampas of South America. The Cossacks, 
who live there, raise herds of horses and cattle, and are 
about as daring riders as the Gauchos (p. 106). 



REVIEW. 265 

Russia fills nearly all the great plain of eastern 
Europe. The northern part is very cold, and is mostly 
a forest region. 

The settled portions of Russia are principally in the 
middle and southwestern parts, where the climate is 
moderate, and there are rich farming lands. 

The great business of the people is farming and 
stock raising. Fine crops of wheat and flax, and large 
herds of horses and cattle, are raised. 

The largest cities are St. Petersburg and Moscow. 
St. Petersburg is the capital. 

Roumania is a small kingdom in the plains at the 
mouth of the Danube. It contains rich wheat lands, 
and is a farming country. Bucharest is its capital. 

Exercise. — (Open books to the map of Europe.) Bound 
Russia. Find St. Petersburg: what have you read (p. 159) about 
it? Find Moscow. This was the capital before St. Petersburg was 
built. The Russians are a sociable people, fond of meeting and 
chatting together. The picture shows a little group who seem to 
be having a fine time. One of them, you see, is a wandering 
musician, with his instrument on his shoulders, and a staff in his 
hand. I wonder what sort of music he can make? 

Find Roumania. What countries are its neighbors? To what 
country (p. 155) did Roumania and the little states south of the 
Danube once belong? 



LXL- REVIEW. 



LVI. What countries of Europe are in the southern peninsulas ? 
Describe their surface ; their climate ; the chief occupations and 
productions. Name the largest cities of the southern countries. 
Name the capital of each of these countries. 

LVII. What and where is Switzerland? Its most important 
city? What do you know about Geneva? What is the capital of 



266 GEOGRAPHICAL PBIMEB. 

Switzerland? What forms the Empire of Germany? Describe 
the surface. Name the chief river. Describe the climate. What 
is the chief pursuit of the people? Name the three principal 
cities. What three others are interesting? What makes them so? 
What is the capital of the German Empire? 

LYIII. Where is Austria-Hungary? Of what does it consist? 
What is the surface? The climate? The chief pursuit of the 
people? Name some of the chief crops; the three largest cities. 
What is the capital of the empire? 

LX. What countries lie in the plains of eastern Europe? 
Where is Russia? What are the most settled portions? Why are 
these better to live in than the northern ? What is the chief pur- 
suit? What do the farms produce? Name the two chief cities. 
Tell something about each. What and where is Roumania? 



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AFRICA. 



LXIII. -NORTHERN AFRICA. 
(Part L, Pages 160-164.) 

Africa is the largest continent, except Asia ; bnt it con- 
tains neither great arms of the sea nor peninsulas, and has 
no vast systems of high mountains. In the northern part, 
there is a great rainless region ; but in the middle, are some 
of the largest fresh-water lakes and rivers in the world. 




Camel Drivers. 

Northern Africa includes the Sahara, Egypt, and 
the Barbary States. The native inhabitants are whites. 

The Sahara is a rainless region, but contains many 
fertile oases. Fezzan is a group of the largest ones. 

268 



MIDDLE AND SOUTHERN AFRICA. 



269 



Egypt is the most important country in Africa 
Nile valley has always been 
famous for its abundant crops, 
and it was once the great grain 
field of the world. Cairo is 
the capital. The Barbary 
States are the fertile coun- 
tries north of the Sahara. 
Algeria belongs to France. 

Exercise. — (Open books to 
map of Africa.) Find the Atlas 
Mountains ; the Isthmus of Suez. 
A ship canal crosses this isthmus ; 
what waters does it connect ? Find 
the Barbary States ; Egypt ; their 
capitals. Algeria used to belong to Turkey, and the govei 
called the " Dei/ of Algiers." What (p. 160) are the oases 
Fezzan. 



The 




Algerian Girl. 



nor was 
? Find 



LXIV. — MIDDLE AND SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
(Part L, Pages 165, 166.) 

In middle Africa, are wonderful forests, vast treeless 
plains, and immense marshes, with many of the largest ani- 
mals in the world. Many of the trees and smaller plants 
yield food for the savage tribes ; and a great number furnish 
gums, oils, and other valuable articles. The plumes of the 
ostrich and the ivory tusks of the elephant are also of great 
value. 

Middle Africa is the land of the negroes, and most 
of the tribes are savages. There are a very few white 
men, at trading posts or mission stations. 

Southern Africa contains many British and Dutch 
colonists. 



270 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



Cape Colony is the most important British possession 
in Africa. It has fertile lands on the coast, fine pasture 
grounds farther inland, and rich diamond fields and gold 
mines near the northern border. It exports wine and 
wool as well as gold and diamonds. Cape Town is the 
capital. 




Zulus. 



Exercise. — (Open books to map of Africa.) 
Colony ; Cape Town ; four large rivers in Africa ; 



Find Cape 



two large lakes. 



LXV.-MAP LESSON. 

Bound. L,ocate. 

Egypt. Cape Good Hope. Gulf of Guinea. Kongo River. 

Algeria. Isthmus of Suez. Atlas Mountains. Cairo. 

Morocco. Madagascar. Lake Victoria Nyanza. Algiers. 

Tripoli. Mediterranean Sea. Nile River. Cape Town. 



Cape Colony. Red Sea. 



Niger River. 



Fez. 



ASIA. 



LXVL- NORTHERN AND WESTERN ASIA. 
(Part I., Pages 167-170, and 179.) 

The Russians, who possess the whole of eastern Europe, 
rule over all of northern Asia. The northernmost portion 

is called Siberia, and the south- 
western, Russian Turkestan. 
These possessions and Russia 
itself together form the Rus- 
sian Empire. 

Southeast of the Aral Sea 
are small independent coun- 
tries. Their people are mostly 
wandering herdsmen, but there 
are cultivated lands and cities 
in the best parts. 

Northern Asia forms part 

of the Russian Empire, but 

does not contain a large 

Jfe JH population. Siberia is very 

^t^ ^*~^*s*z*m cold, except in the southern 

Persian Water Carrier. part> Turkestan has hot 

summers, but very cold winters ; and a large part is 
quite dry. 

There are rich lands in the eastern part of Russian 
Turkestan, and also in the southern part of Siberia. 

272 




THE INDIES. 273 

Turkey, Persia, and Arabia contain vast dry regions, 
with only wandering herdsmen for inhabitants; but they 
have, also, some of the most fertile lands in Asia. 

All of these three countries produce fruits, drugs, 
and perfumeries ; and Arabia yields coffee and spices. 

Turkey is part of the Turkish Empire, with its capi- 
tal at Constantinople, in Europe. 

Persia is a kingdom, and Teheran is its capital. 

Exercise. — (Open books to the map of Asia.) Find Siberia. 
Find Russian Turkestan ; a body of water within it. Find Per- 
sia; Turkey; Arabia. What interesting places in Turkey (pp. 167, 
168) did you read about? Find Ispahan; what have you read 
(p. 170) about it? 



LXVII.-THE INDIES. 
(Part I., Pages 171, 172.) 



We have already seen what a wonderful region this part 
of Asia is. Long ago, when the sea-going peoples of Europe 
were each trying to gain as much as possible of the wealth 
of the Indies, they began to establish trading stations on the 
coasts of the peninsulas and the islands. Little bj little, 
and in various ways, they have increased their territories, 
until now the larger part of the Indies belongs to them. But 
part of the eastern peninsula is still ruled by native peoples. 

The Indies include two great peninsulas and a large 
group of islands at the southeast of Asia. 

The climate is hot, with abundance of rain. 

Rare woods, spices, ivory, and precious stones are 
part of the natural wealth. The cultivated produc- 
tions are coffee, sugar, indigo, rice, cotton, and opium. 



274 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



Great Britain controls nearly the whole of the 
western peninsula, as well as the island of Ceylon 
and the west shore of the eastern peninsula. Calcutta 
is the capital of British India. 

France has posses- 
sion of a large part of 
the eastern peninsula. 
The Netherlands 
controls most of the 
other islands, except- 
ing parts of Sumatra, 
Borneo, and New 
Guinea. Batavia, in 
Java, is the capital 
of the lands in this 
region held by the 
Netherlands. The 
northern portions of 
Borneo and Sumatra 
are independent, and 
governed by native 
kings. 

But little of New Guinea has been explored by the 
Europeans. The natives are black. 

Exercise. — (Open books to the map of Asia.) Find India. 
What great river has it? What have you read (p. 172) about the 
plains of the Ganges? Find a city at the mouth of the Ganges. 
What do you know about it? Find Anam. Find the Philippine 
islands. Name four other large islands. Which islands are 
wholly south of the equator? 

The native islanders are of the brown race. The native people 
on the plains of the Ganges are called Hindus. You know what 
skillful workmen they are. 




A Hindu Cook. 



THE EMPIRES OF CHINA AND JAPAN. 



275 



LXVIII.-THE EMPIRES OF CHINA AND JAPAN. 
(Part L, Pages 173-178.) 

The Chinese Empire is not nearly so large as the Russian 
Empire, but it contains about three times as many people. 
The rich plains along the rivers in China are the most 
populous part. The Japanese Empire consists of a cluster 
of islands, somewhat larger than the British Isles. They 




A Chinese Wheelbarrow. 



lie opposite our country, 
belong to the yellow race. 



The people of both empires 



The Chinese Empire occupies the larger part of 
middle and eastern Asia. The capital is Peking. 

The most famous productions are tea, silks, porce- 
lain, and curious carvings in ivory and wood. 

Tokyo is the capital of Japan. The productions are 
much like those of China. 

The Chinese and Japanese are more advanced in 
civilization than any other nations of their race. 



276 



GEOGRAPHICAL PBIMER. 




Interior of a Japanese House. 

Exercise. — (Open books to the map of Asia.) Find China; 
the Himalaya Mountains ; Tibet; Mongolia. What have you read 
(pp. 176-178) about each ? Find Peking ; Canton. What have you 
read (p. 175) about these cities ? about the peoples ? Find the Jap- 
anese Islands; the name of the largest ; an important city in Hondo. 



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AUSTRALIA. 



LXX.- AUSTRALIA AND THE PACIFIC. 

(Part I., Pages 180-183.) 

We have noticed in the Pacific Ocean great numbers of 
small islands. They differ much in character, but if we 
study them we find there are only two kinds. Some are 




Load of Wool in Australia. 



groups of volcanoes with a strip of coast land around them. 
These are volcanic islands. The Hawaiian Islands, about 
midway between Mexico and China, belong to the United 

278 



REVIEW. 279 

States, and are the most famous of this class. Other isl- 
ands are low and flat; some being only rings of land. 
These are coral islands ; that is, the soil is formed, and 
the plants are growing, on the top of a bank of coral. 

Australia, the smallest of the continents, belongs to 
Great Britain. The southeastern part is best known, 
and contains most of the white inhabitants. 

Low mouDtains, rich in gold, border the coast ; and 
rivers flow from them westward through fertile plains. 

Wool growing, wheat raising, and gold mining are 
the chief occupations of the people. Cattle raising is 
important. 

The white inhabitants are mostly from Great Britain. 
As yet they are -fewer in number than the population 
of New York State. The natives are black. 

Exercise. — (Open books to the map of eastern hemisphere.) 
Find Australia. On which side of the equator is it? What are 
some of the strange things (p. 181) one may see in Australia? 



LXXI.- REVIEW. 



LXIII. What countries are in northern Africa? Of what race 
are the native people ? What is the Sahara? Egypt? Name the 
Barbary States. Which belongs to France ? 

LXIV. Who are the people of middle Africa? What useful 
things come from middle Africa? What white colonists are in 
South Africa? What does Cape Colony contain that is valuable? 

LXVI. To what country does northern Asia belong? What 
three important countries in western Asia? What sort of coun- 
tries are they? What do they produce? Of what empire is 
Turkey a part? What is its capital? What is Persia? 

LXVTI. What do the Indies include? What is the climate? 
What are the productions? What part of the Indies belongs to 
Great Britain? To France? To the Netherlands? 



280 GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 

LXVIII. Where is the Chinese Empire? What is the capital? 
What is the climate of China? What are the leading produc- 
tions ? What forms the Empire of Japan ? What is its capital ? 
Of what race are the Chinese and Japanese ? 

LXX. To whom does Australia belong? What part is best 
known ? Describe that part. What are the pursuits of the white 
inhabitants? Where did they come from? How great is the 
number of them? Of what color are the natives? 



LXXIL- EASTERN HEMISPHERE (Examination). 

What kingdom do the British Isles form ? Of what does the 
British Empire consist? What European countries border on the 
Atlantic? What is the government of France? What small re- 
public in central Europe? What European countries border on 
the Mediterranean? What two empires in central Europe? What 
great country in eastern Europe ? Where is the rest of the Rus- 
sian Empire? 

What high mountains in Europe ? Name the highest peak in 
Europe. Name four important rivers in Europe. In what country 
is London? Paris? Berlin? Vienna? Constantinople? Naples? 
Liverpool? Glasgow? Manchester? Edinburgh? Lyons? Madrid? 
Lisbon? Marseilles? Dublin? Munich? Rome? Athens? St. 
Petersburg? Moscow? Milan? Bucharest? 

What three important countries in western Asia ? What great 
empire in middle and eastern Asia? Where is the Japanese 
Empire? What important articles come from China and Japan? 
Of what do the Indies consist? "What European countries control 
the Indies? What valuable things come from the Indies? In 
what country is Peking? Tokyo? Canton? Calcutta? 

What countries are in northern Africa ? Where is Cairo ? 
Algiers? What race occupies middle Africa? What valuable 
things come from middle Africa? What is the principal country 
in South Africa ? What precious things come from there ? What 
important town in South Africa? To what country does Australia 
belong ? What does it produce ? 



TABLES. 



POPULATION OF THE PRINCIPAL CITIES IN THE WORLD. 



United States. 

New England. 

Portland, Me., 
Manchester, N.H., 
Boston, Mass., 
"Worcester, Mass., 
Fall River, Mass., 
Lowell, Mass., 
Cambridge, Mass., 
Lynn, Mass., 



36,425 
44,126 
i96,920 
98,767 
89,203 
84,367 
81,643 
62,354 



New Bedford, Mass., 55,251 
Somerville, Mass., 52,200 
Lawrence, Mass., 52,164 
Springfield, Mass., 51,522 
Providence, R.I., 145,472 
New Haven, Conn., 81,298 
Hartford, Conn., 53,230 



3,500,000 

255,664 

133,896 

94,923 

88,143 

60,956 

215,806 

182,713 

97,344 

63,467 

62,518 

54,083 

1,046,964 

238,617 

105,287 

75,215 

58,661 

61,431 

434,439 

, 230,392 

81,888 

, 34,o22 



Middle 
New York, N.Y., 
Buffalo, N.Y., 
Rochester, N.Y., 
Albany, N.Y., 
Syracuse, N.Y., 
Troy, N.Y., 
Newark, N.J., 
Jersey City, N.J., 
Paterson, N.J., 
Camden, N.J., 
Trenton, N.J., 
Hoboken, N.J., 
Philadelphia, Pa., 
Pittsburg, Pa., 
Allegheny, Pa., 
Scranton, Pa., 
Reading, Pa., 
Wilmington, Del., 
Baltimore, Md., 
"Washington, D.C. 
Richmond, Va., 
"Wheeling, "W. Va. 



Southern States. 

20,056 



"Wilmington, N.C., 
Charleston, S.C., 
Atlanta, Ga., 
Jacksonville, Fla., 
Mobile, Ala., 
New Orleans, La., 
Nashville, Tenn., 



54,955 
65,533 
25,130 
31,076 
242,039 
76,168 



Memphis, Tenn., 


64,495 


Little Rock, Ark., 


25,874 


Dallas, Tex., 


38,067 


Central States. 


Louisville, Ky., 


161,129 


Cincinnati, O., 


296,908 


Cleveland, O., 


261,353 


Columbus, O., 


88,150 


Toledo, O., 


81,434 


Dayton, O., 


61,220 


Indianapolis, Ind. 


105,436 


Evansville, Ind., 


50,756 


Chicago, 111., 


1,099,850 


Detroit, Mich., 


237,837 


Grand Rapids, Mich., 79.424 


Milwaukee, Wis., 


249,290 


Minneapolis, Minn 


., 192,S33 


St. Paul, Minn., 


140,292 


Duluth, Minn., 


59,396 


Des Moines, la., 


56,359 


St. Louis, Mo., 


451,770 


Kansas City, Mo., 


132,716 


St. Joseph, Mo., 


52,324 


Kansas City, Kas. 


40,676 


Omaha, Neb., 


140,452 


Lincoln, Neb., 


55,154 


Pacific States. 


Denver, Col., 


106,713 



Salt Lake City, Utah, 48,071 
Seattle, Wash., 42,S37 

Portland, Ore., 46,385 

San Francisco, Cal., 298,997 
Los Angeles, Cal., 50,395 



Dominion of Canada. 



Montreal, P.Q., 
Toronto, Ont., 
Quebec, P.Q., 
Hamilton, Ont., 
Ottawa, Ont., 
St. John, N.B., 
Halifax, N.S., 



216,650 
181,220 
63,090 
48,9S0 
44.154 
39,179 
38,556 



Mexico, Central Amer- 
ica, and West Indies. 

329,535 
110,000 

281 



Mexico, Mex. 
Puebla, Mex. 



Guadalajara, Mex., 95,000 

Guatemala, C.A., 71,527 

Havana, Cuba, 200,448 

Matanzas, W.I., 56,379 



South America. 



Rio de Janeiro, I 
Brazil, [ 

Bahia, Brazil, 
Pernambuco, Brazil, 
Sao Paulo, Brazil, 
Para, Brazil, 
Buenos Ayres, Ar- ) 
gentina, f 

Montevideo, Uru- I 
guay, J 

Asuncion, Paraguay 
Caracas, Venezuela, 
Santiago, Chile, 
Valparaiso, Chile, 
La Paz, Bolivia, 
Lima, Peru, 
Quito, Ecuador, 
Bogota, Colombia, 



422,756 

200,000 

190,000 

100,000 

65,000 

663,243 

175,000 

, 24,038 
70,466 

189,332 

104,952 
56,150 

100,156 
80,000 

120.000 



Europe. 



London, Eng., 4 
Manchester, Eng., 
Liverpool, Eng., 
Birmingham, Eng., 
Leeds, Eng., 
Sheffield, Eng., 
Bristol, Eng., 
Glasgow, Scot., 
Edinburgh, Scot., 
Belfast, Ire., 
Dublin, Ire., 
Paris, France, 2 
Lyons, France, 
Marseilles, France, 
Bordeaux, France, 
Lille, France, 
Antwerp, Belgium, 
Brussels, Belgium, 
Amsterdam, Xeth., 
Rotterdam, Xeth., 
Copenhagen, Den., 
Stockholm, Swed., 
Christiania, Nor., 
Berlin, Ger., 1 



349.166 
520,211 
507,230 
496,301 
388,761 
338,316 
226.578 
65S,19S 
263,646 
255,950 
245,001 
,447,957 
416,029 
403,749 
252,415 
201,211 
256,620 
187,929 
450,189 
234,916 
312,859 
264,585 
151,239 
,579,244 



282 



GEOGRAPHICAL PRIMER. 



Hamburg, Ger., 
Leipzig, Ger., 
Munich, Ger., 
Breslau, Ger., 
Dresden, Ger., 
Cologne, Ger., 
Vienna, Aust.- i 

Hung., J 

Budapest, Aust.-i 

Hung., ! 

Prague, Aust.- i 

Hung., ] 

Bucharest, Bou., 
Zurich, Switz., 
Geneva, Switz., 
Madrid, Spain, 
Barcelona, Spain, 
Lisbon, Port., 
Naples, Italy, 
Eome, Italy, 
Milan, Italy, 
Turin, Italy, 
Genoa, Italy, 



568,666 
357, 14T 
350,594 
335,186 

289,844 
281,681 

,364,548 
491,938 

1S2,530 

196,372 
134,540 
80,111 
470,283 
272,4S1 
307,661 
522,700 
451,000 
432,400 
335,900 
215,300 



Florence, Italy, 
Palermo, Sicily, 
Athens, Greece, 
Constantinople, 

Turkey, 
Salonika, Turkey 



200,300 
276,000 
107,846 

873,565 

150,000 



Adrianople, Turkey, 70,886 



St. Petersburg, 

Bussia, j 
Moscow, Bussia, 
Warsaw, Bussia, 
Odessa, Bussia, 



1,035,439 

822,397 
455,852 
340,526 



Asia. 

Smyrna, Turkey, 
Damascus, Turkey, 
Tabriz, Persia, 
Teheran, Persia, 
Mecca, Arabia, 
Bombay, Br. Ind., 
Calcutta, Br. Ind., 
Madras, Br. Ind., 



225,000 
150,000 
200,000 
150,000 
45,000 
821,764 
810,786 
452,518 



Bangkok, Siam, 


200,000 


Canton, China, 


2,000,000 


Peking, China, 


1,650,000 


Fuchau, China, 


1,000,000 


Tientsin, China, 


950,000 


Chang Chow, China, S00,000 


Shanghai, China, 


400,000 


Tokyo, Japan, 


1,214,113 


Africa 




Cairo, Egypt, 


374,838 


Alexandria, Egypt, 227,064 


Tunis, Tunis, 


135,000 


Algiers, Algeria, 


82.585 


Cape Town, Cape 
Colony, 


J- 83,718 


Australia. 


Melbourne, 


490,896 


Sydney, 


383,283 



LENGTHS OF THE PRINCIPAL RIVERS OF THE WORLD. 



New World. 

Miles. 

Mississippi-Missouri, North Amer. 4,194 

Amazon, South America .... 3,596 

La Plata, South America .... 2,500 

Mackenzie, North America . . . 2,120 

St. Lawrence, North America . . 2,120 

Yukon, North America .... 2,043 

Saskatchewan, North America . . 1,918 

Bio Grande, North America . . . 1,800 

Sao Francisco, South America . . 1,613 

Arkansas, North America .... 1,514 

Orinoco, South America .... 1,500 

Columbia, North America . . . 1,383 

Ohio-Alleghany, North America . 1,265 

Bed, North America 1,200 

Colorado, North America .... 1,000 

Susquehanna, North America . . 400 

Connecticut, North America . . . 400 

Hudson, North America .... 300 



Old World. 

Miles. 

Nile, Africa . . . 3,895 

Yenisei, Asia 3,688 

Yangtze Kiang, Asia 3,200 

Niger, Africa 2,990 

Hoang Ho, Asia 2,812 

Lena, Asia 2,766 

Kongo. Africa 2,700 

Obi, Asia 2,674 

Amur, Asia 2,673 

Yolga, Europe 2.351 

Zambezi, Africa 2,300 

Euphrates, Asia 2,005 

Danube, Europe 1,992 

Ganges, Asia 1,844 

Brahmaputra, Asia 1,800 

Indus, Asia 1,613 

Orange, Africa 1,152 

Ehine, Europe 876 



HEIGHT OF MOUNTAINS. 



New World. 

Feet. 

Aconcagua, Chile 23,910 

Sorata, Bolivia 21,2S6 

Chimborazo, Ecuador .... 20,517 

Logan, Canada 19,500 

Orizaba, Mexico 18,314 

St. Elias, Alaska 18,010 

Popocatepetl, Mexico .... 17,784 

Mount Whitnev, California . . 14,898 

Longs Peak, Colorado .... 14,271 

Pikes Peak, Colorado .... 14,216 



Old World. 






Feet. 


Mount Everest (Himalaya) . 


29,002 


Mount Dapsang, Tibet . . . 


28,278 


Mount Kanchinjinga (Himal.) 


28,156 


Dhaulagiri (Himal.) .... 


26,826 


Kilimanjaro, Africa .... 


18,715 


Elbruz (Caucasus) .... 


18,493 


Hindu Kush, Afghanistan 


18,000 


Ararat, Armenia 


17,130 


Mont Blanc (Alps) .... 


15,744 


Monte Eosa (Alps) .... 


15,208 



££C 2 



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